News Updates
Stem cell procedure could be next wave in sports medicine
Source: Boston Globe
With a painful shot in October that left him unable to bend his prized arm for days, Red Sox lefthander Drew Pomeranz joined what he and others hope is a transformative development in sports medicine.
New Treatment Helps Young Arthritis Patients
Source: CBS Boston
Arthritis is usually thought to affect older people, but young adults can suffer from it, too. Dr. Mallika Marshall moderated a panel Thursday at Brigham and Women’s Hospital on regenerative medicine, specifically looking at innovative ways to treat young patients with arthritis. One such treatment uses stems cells harvested from umbilical cords.
New orthopedic procedures can stem the tide of surgical needs
Source: Gulf Coast News Today
There was a time when, for those dealing with a sports injury or arthritic pain, their only option was an invasive surgical procedure with an often painful recovery. For many, surgery is still the only option, but for others, replacement therapies such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and bone marrow aspirate (BMA) are becoming increasingly common.
Pioneering stem-cell therapy can eliminate back pain
Source: NJ.com
Across the United States, the number of neck and back pain sufferers is increasing, steadily pushing doctors to identify out-of-the-box solutions to treat spine conditions that don’t require surgery. In recent years, one of the most predominant breakthroughs within the orthopedic industry is a nonsurgical treatment called stem cell therapy.
Want to avoid surgery for joint pain? Pro athletes, others try PRP and stem cell injections
Source: The Charlotte Observer
In Charlotte, a few orthopedic practitioners, who offered PRP even before that Steelers moment, have been low-key about it, careful not to over-promise on results. But in the past year and a half, PRP – and a newer injection therapy using stem cells – have taken on a higher profile in Charlotte.
Shoulder activity not associated with severity of atraumatic rotator cuff tear
Source: Healio
Among patients with atraumatic rotator cuff tears, shoulder activity was not associated with severity of the tear, but was affected by patients’ age, sex and occupation, according to study results.
Researchers prospectively enrolled patients with an atraumatic rotator cuff tear on MRI in the Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network shoulder study of nonoperative treatment. Patients were asked to complete a previously validated shoulder activity scale; 434 patients completed the scale and were included in the analysis. Mean patient age was 62.7 years.
The researchers performed a regression analysis to assess the association of shoulder activity level to rotator cuff tear characteristics, including tendon involvement and traction, as well as patient factors such as age, sex, smoking and occupation.
Shoulder activity was not associated with severity of the rotator cuff tear, according to the researchers. However, shoulder activity was negatively associated with age and female sex. According to the regression model, 69-year-old patients with rotator cuff tears were 1.5 points less active on the 20-point scale vs. identical 56-year-old patients; female patients were 1.6 points less active vs. similar male patients. Occupation was also a significant predictor of shoulder activity level, with unemployed patients predicted to be 4.8 points less active compared with employed patients.
Extended capsular release unnecessary for shoulder stiffness in arthroscopic surgery
Source: Healio
Although arthroscopic capsular release is a known treatment for shoulder stiffness, posterior extended capsular release might not be necessary in arthroscopic surgery, according to study results.
Researchers enrolled 75 patients who underwent arthroscopic capsular release for shoulder stiffness. The patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: those in whom capsular release, including release of the rotator interval and anterior and inferior capsule, was performed (n = 37), and those in whom capsular release was extended to the posterior capsule (n = 38).
The researchers used American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores, Simple Shoulder Test, VAS pain scores and range of motion (ROM) for evaluation before surgery, at 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively, and at the last follow-up. Mean follow-up was 18.4 months.
ROM increased significantly among both groups at the last follow-up compared with preoperative scores (P < .05). However, there were no statistical differences between the two groups in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores, Simple Shoulder Test and VAS pain scores at the last follow-up (P > .05), according to the researchers.
