Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells traditionally found in the bone marrow. These stem cells are used to cure non-unions.
The way it works is - these stem cells are extracted from bone marrow (hip bone) under local anesthesia. Once collected, these stem cells are injected into the target region (fracture or non-union) for consolidation.
This approach could potentially help in reducing the consolidation period. This can be extremely beneficial for Tibia lengthening, where complete external procedure can take as much as one year. My question is why haven't anyone (I mean LLers) done this procedure, even though this has been available fore quite some time now. Are there any side effects ? Is this not going to significantly impact consolidation time ? Thanks in advance for your response.
I consulted with one doctor in Delhi and he quoted price of 1.5 - 2 lac Rupees (which is about 2000 - 3000 USD). So pricing seams reasonable, especially when you consider the value it offers - significantly shortens consolidation.
Since this procedure relies on accelerating body's natural bone formation ability, and not on some external bone like materials like resorbable bone cement or other grafting materials, I'm tempted to think there are no side effects involved with stem cell procedure. I'm however skeptical as it sounds too good to be true, and want to know more from experts and veteran LLers on this forum. thanks.
Thank you all for your responses. Very helpful.
I also found some doctors in delhi offering Platelet Rick Plasma (PRP) procedure to accelerate bone healing. This is a technique where your blood is collected and ran through centrifuge for 15 mins, for platelets to concentrate. The platelets are then injected into the target region.
Over coming days, I'll consult with doctors about these two techniques and decide something.
No, AFAIK the procedure to reinstate your growth plates using stem cells is not available. What we were discussing in this thread is whether stem cells can speed up bone consolidation. Some people have reported on the forum that stem cells have helped them heal faster and helped them with early recovery.
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