Stem cells are the body’s “master cells.” These are the cells that develop into blood, the brain, bones, and all organs of the body. They have the potential to repair, restore, replace, and regenerate cells, and could be used to treat many medical conditions and diseases.
According to several clinical research performed throughout the last few years, on stem cells (including embryonic, fetal, amniotic, and umbilical cord blood), the results show that it is a massive revolution in regenerative medicine and cancer therapies.
This form of regenerative medicine promotes the repair response of diseased, dysfunctional, or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives. This phenomenon makes stem cell therapy a viable treatment option for various medical conditions such as traumatic injuries or autoimmune disorders, inflammatory, neurological, and orthopedic conditions. Numerous benefits are noted with studies conducted on the application of stem cells for Crohn’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, COPD, Parkinson’s, ALS, Stroke recovery, and more.
Advancements
In recent days, stem cell therapy is becoming more and more popular and relatively affordable to people around the globe. The use of stem cells has potentially transformed the way an orthopedic practice works, particularly, when it comes to musculoskeletal injuries, which can involve tendons and ligaments, bone, meniscus, and cartilage.
Therapeutic applications can be performed using stem cells primarily aspired from bone marrow and then directly injecting them into the tissues to enhance the repair process.
Some of the research
Heart
Adult bone marrow cells or embryonic stem cells are guided to become heart cells to repair heart tissue (read source) in people, and more research is going on related to how to direct and control the growth of cells.
Rare autoimmune disease
At present, stem cells have also been used to cure patients of autoimmune diseases (read source) such as multiple sclerosis, where the stem cells reset the immune system, meaning the stem cells will replace a diseased immune system with a new one.
Other conditions
There is also a promising, but early research states that stem-cell therapy may be able to cure diabetes, blindness, and even spinal cord injury. Clinical trials are going around the world related to this.
Takeaway
Stem cell therapy has become a turning point in modern medicine by unlocking a wide range of possibilities and providing hope for untreatable diseases. Researchers continue to advance their knowledge of stem cells and their applications in transplant and regenerative medicine. Scientists believe that stem cells may have the potential to be grown to become new tissue for use in transplant and regenerative medicine and at some point, eliminate the need for waiting for organ donors in the future.
To learn more related to musculoskeletal regenerative medicine, schedule an appointment with our expert physicians.
Carolina Regional Orthopaedics provides the most effective, modern, and innovative techniques in both Orthopedic Surgery and Pain Management using proven methodologies in both the surgical and non-surgical treatment of all conditions affecting the spine, upper extremities, and lower extremities. We specialize in hand and wrist surgery, joint replacements, sports medicine, trauma care, pediatric orthopedics, pain management, wound care, regenerative medicine, physical therapy, imaging services, and EMG testing.