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Stem cell therapy is a novel branch of medicine in which stem cells are harvested and used for the repair and regeneration of damaged tissues. In orthopaedics, this stem cell therapy is useful in the treatment of arthritis, avascular necrosis of the hip in which the blood supply to the hip joint is lost, as well as diabetic foot. With promising research results leading to greater expectations, it is under clinical trials as a curative way for orthopaedic problems.
What are Stem Cells?
Stem cells are cells which have a tendency to self-renew and proliferate extensively. In simpler terms, these cells can develop into many different cell types, which may range from muscle cells to brain cells.
Characteristics of a Stem Cell
A stem cell tends to have two differentiating factors. One is the ability to differentiate into a specialised adult cell. The other is the ability to proliferate, i.e., perpetual self-renewal.
On this basis, stem cells are classified into 2 major types:
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Pluripotent cells (embryonic stem cells are pluripotent).
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Multipotent cells (adult stem cells and cord blood stem cells are multipotent).
What is Stem Cell Therapy?
Belonging to the umbrella of regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy holds the potential to accelerate the repair and healing response of damaged tissues caused by disability or injury. Orthopaedic consultants and sports medicine specialists utilise this therapeutic treatment because of its ability to reinstate a patient's soft tissue health using their immune stem cells retrieved from adipose tissue (body fat), bone marrow, or blood. Stem cells can repair almost all types of cellular damage in injured areas due to their capacity for developing into specialised healthy cell lines. Therefore, this remarkable technique has shown phenomenal results in treating various arthritic conditions and dissolving pain caused by sports-related injuries or complex joint surgeries.
The Therapeutic Use of Stem Cells in Orthopaedics:
Stem cells are like magic cells, which have the potential to repair and regenerate damaged tissue. They are collected from the bone in the side of the hip (Iliac crest) after which bone marrow is aspirated, and growth factors or a combination of cells is extracted.
These stem cell derivatives have enormous healing potential. Depending on the circumstances, a certain cell type can be isolated from this mixture. So these cells are injected into the area that requires healing. In Orthopaedics, burn-out areas of the knee or ankle or hip where cartilage is damaged can be healed and recovered by infusing these stem cells.
Orthopaedic Conditions that Stem Cell Therapy Can Treat
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Arthritis
In Arthritis patients, stem cells are injected into the damaged tissue to repair the tissue to prevent the tissue condition from progressing to arthritis. As a result, the pain subsides, and these patients can avoid surgical intervention for their joints.
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Avascular Necrosis (AVN)
Avascular Necrosis (AVN) of the head of the femur is one of the most debilitating disorders in young patients. It is characterised by a decreased blood supply to the bone and an associated increase in intraosseous pressure. Early stages of the disease can be treated with stem cell injection combined with core decompression. A study was done on 60 patients in the early stages of AVN who were treated either with core decompression and bone marrow injection or with core decompression and injection of isolated stem cells. It showed a better functional outcome and better radiographic healing in the stem cell group.
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Non-healing ulcers
E.g., diabetic foot.
Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Orthopaedics
In cases of trauma and bone defects, the healing process can be complex and may require biological augmentation for optimal recovery. Autologous cancellous grafts are commonly used as the "gold standard" approach, but their availability is limited, and they can cause donor site morbidity. Allografts and bone graft substitutes are alternative options for supporting bone healing. However, issues such as poor graft integration and graft osteonecrosis are often observed with these methods.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) play a significant role in orthopaedics as they have emerged as a valuable resource in orthopaedic surgery for addressing challenges such as trauma-related bone defects. Their potential to differentiate into various mesodermal tissues (tissues of the bone, cartilage, muscle, etc.) and their ability to enhance healing processes make them a promising tool for improving patient outcomes.
A few criteria where stem cell therapy can be considered are:
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Recent injury.
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Young age patients are encouraged for this therapy.
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Patients with extensive medical history are not recommended for this therapy. Also, one on blood thinners can’t go for stem cell therapy.
In conclusion, stem cell therapy revolutionises the treatment of orthopaedic conditions due to its main advantage of being able to convert to different types of tissues. The application of bone tissue engineering with appropriate scaffolds has shown promising results in clinical trials. Efforts must be made to ensure the safe, economical, efficient and effective introduction of stem cells for regular clinical use. While challenges remain, global efforts are underway to establish patient safety regulations and standards.
Consult the best orthopedic surgeon in Bangalore if you require stem cell therapy.
FAQs
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What is the origin of stem cells?
Stem cells are retrieved from various sources in the body. The embryonic cells are taken from the inner mass of the blastocyst. The umbilical cord is also a source of stem cells and bone marrow extracted from the iliac crest.
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What diseases are currently being treated by stem cell-based therapy?
No, treatment is yet approved for humans. However, a lot of clinical trials are being done to treat diseases like Arthritis, Avascular necrosis of the hip, spinal cord & peripheral nerve injuries.
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Has stem cell therapy shown any promising results?
Yes, so far, stem cell-based therapy has shown positive clinical trial results, which is why more research is going on since it can be a game-changer in the field of medicine.
