Introduction

Hello, and welcome to the first installment of the Colorado Stem Cell Therapy blog!  My goal with this blog is to keep the general public up-to-date on the current advancements in stem cell research and treatments, and I will attempt to make the science easily understood by non-medical readers.  This first blog will be a rather general overview, not particularly detailed or too focused on one thing.

First, here is a little about me.  My background as a physician has taken a rather non-linear route since medical school.  My formal residency training was in the field of Anesthesiology, and I practiced in that field for many years.  I was proficient in all types of general anesthesia, spinal and epidural anesthesia, and conscious sedation.  I also performed regional anesthesia which involved a variety of nerve blocks and injections for pain control.  I subsequently studied the diagnosis and treatment for varicose and spider veins with my medical practice partner, Dr. William Schuh.  I learned to use a laser for certain surgical procedures for vein disease, and have been performing these over the past three years.  That development of laser surgery skills then led me to the practice of laser liposuction/liposculpture.  And that in turn has most recently allowed me to pursue the therapies involving isolation and use of stem cells.

The stem cell treatments that we will focus on in our practice involve the use of a patient’s own fat (or possibly bone marrow).  This is usually a one day procedure, over the course of a few hours.  There is no ethical dilemma such as the media has brought to the public’s attention in regard to the use of embryonic stem cells, nor is there a problem with rejection of the cells since they are the patient’s own tissue. 

In order to get the patient’s stem cells, it is first necessary to obtain fat.  This is done through a liposuction procedure performed in our office, with local anesthesia and some oral medications to help with anxiety and pain.  The recovery of the stem cells can be combined with a more traditional liposuction procedure as well, if so desired by the patient.  The fat then has to go through a rather rigorous processing procedure that includes enzymatic washing and cell isolation.  The stem cells that were dormant in the fat tissue are then ready to be used for a variety of clinical applications.

Stem cell therapy can be useful in treating the symptoms of a wide array of medical conditions.  Our practice is mostly focused on treatment of orthopedic injuries.  This can include sport-related injuries, arthritis, joint pain, and muscle/tendon/ligament pain.  Once the stem cells are isolated, they can be injected into the affected joint or tissue.  When the stem cells are in that environment, the patient’s body basically directs these cells to turn into different kinds of cells, such as cartilage, muscle, bone, etc.  The body will determine what is needed, and then the stem cells do their thing!

This kind of therapy doesn’t work for everyone, nor does it always work after just one treatment.  It can take time for the effect to become noticeable, and there are a variety of things that can influence the outcome.  Examples include smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, age, and activity level, just to name a few.  We will counsel individuals in these types of areas to best manage their problem/condition, and attempt to maximize the benefit. 

Again, this is just a quick overview of current advances in stem cell therapies.  Future blogs will cover current research topics, current clinical advances, and updates about our practice.  Feel free to comment or ask questions – I will do my best to address them all.