Stem cell knee therapy can be an effective, non-surgical alternative for some patients who are seeking relief for the pain associated with a damaged knee joint. At Tampa Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group, Board-certified physicians Dr. Daniel Murphy and Dr. Arnold Ramirez offer innovative stem cell treatments that sometimes allow patients to resume their formerly active lifestyles. At Tampa Orthopaedic, Dr. Murphy and Dr. Ramirez see patients from Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and all surrounding Florida areas.
Stem cells have received a lot of public attention of late, specifically with regard to the ethical issues surrounding their usage in the medical field. However, the controversy involves only one type – human embryonic stem cells. The physicians at Tampa Orthopaedic in Tampa, FL, never use embryonic stem cells when performing stem cell knee therapy and other regenerative procedures. Instead, the stem cells they use are derived from a patient’s own bone marrow or adipose tissue, injected into a damaged joint, and then stimulated to behave like embryonic stem cells. An advantage of utilizing a patient’s own stem cells is that many potential risks are minimized or eliminated, including:
- Tissue rejection
- Infection
- Disease transmission
- Surgical complications
Stem cell knee therapy can be effective because adult stem cells have the unique ability to take on the behavior and characteristics of their surrounding cells. As such, the injected stem cells can potentially become specialized for the knee over time. However, it is important to note that the results of stem cell knee therapy will vary among individuals. To date, no scientific studies have confirmed that stem cell therapy is effective for restoring damaged tissue. As research continues and knowledge advances, more will be understood about the unique properties of stem cells and their potential uses in reparative medicine and other applications. Stem cell therapy has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
To find out if you are a candidate for stem cell knee repair and learn more about the potential of this exciting treatment option, contact Tampa Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group today. In addition to treating patients from Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and other nearby FL communities, we proudly serve as team physicians for some of the area’s top sports teams – Dr. Murphy for the New York Yankees, and Dr. Ramirez for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
