Stem Cell Therapy

Heal joint arthritis and other painful conditions using stem cells extracted from your own body fat!

Unlike many other stem cell treatment options, our office utilizes an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved stem cell treatment protocol from Regeneris Medical.  To learn more about the Institutional Review Board registry and approval process and what it means for your safety and privacy when choosing a stem cell procedure, you can read about the IRB and registry process here.

Stem Cell Therapy in Dayton, Ohio

What Is Stem Cell Therapy?

“Stem Cell Therapy” refers to the use of stem cells to treat various medical conditions or diseases.  In many cases, Stem Cell Therapy can offer a non-invasive alternative to surgery for a number of painful and even debilitating conditions – including joint injuries, joint arthritis and joint degeneration resulting from overuse or aging.

Stem cell technology is evolving rapidly, offering patients an increasing number of options for stem cell treatment.  Some major differences exist between these options, particularly with regards to where the stem cells are sourced and how they are processed, in addition to the types of doctors or personnel performing the procedures and ultimately their safety and effectiveness.

For a breakdown and comparison of several popular types of stem cell treatments commonly available, see Understanding and Comparing Your Stem Cell Treatment Options.

What Diseases and Conditions Can Be Treated Using Stem Cell Therapy?

In orthopedic patients, the most common areas treated include the knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, hand, foot, ankle, neck, back and spine. However, the ability to use stem cell therapy and its effectiveness depend on the specific condition and damage being treated on a case-by-case basis.  Dr. Wolf will need to first evaluate you to determine whether stem cell therapy is appropriate for your individual condition and needs, in addition to medically clearing you for the procedure.

Please contact our office to see if your specific condition is covered by the IRB or CRIO registry, and set an appointment with Dr. Wolf for an evaluation to determine if you are a candidate for stem cell therapy.

The Basics About Stem Cells

What Is A Stem Cell?

A stem cell is a specific type of cell found in your body and those of other animals and multi-cell organisms.  However, stem cells have a unique quality that makes them very special and useful for medical treatment: they can “differentiate” – or change – into other types of cells.  They can also divide, producing more stem cells of the same type.

This means that stem cells can be utilized to help your body heal itself, as they change into the type of cells needed to regrow and repair damaged tissue.

Where Are Stem Cells Found?

Over the past few years, you may have heard about stem cells taken from human embryos and umbilical cords; however, stem cells are actually found and accessible from several sources in adult humans: bone marrow, blood, and fat cells.  Different stem cell treatments may use stem cells derived from different sources, with different levels of effectiveness in addition to potential safety and ethical considerations.

At Advanced Therapeutics, the Institutional Review Board approved protocol we use for stem cell therapy sources stem cells directly from your own body fat, offering both ethical as well as safety advantages to our patients.

The Stem Cell Therapy Procedure

Throughout the remainder of this page, we’ll focus specifically on the Institutional Review Board procedure offered at our office.  For a comparison of the different stem cell treatment options available, including the procedure offered at Advanced Therapeutics, see Understanding and Comparing Your Stem Cell Treatment Options.

How Do You Obtain My Stem Cells?

A donor site is chosen in the abdomen, flanks or other appropriate area.  Local anesthesia  (numbing solution) is injected through the skin into the underlying fat.  A very small incision is made and a small fat-removing device known as a cannula is used to gently remove fat cells into a specially designed syringe.  Compression is then applied to the donor area.

How Are My Fat Cells Processed?

The fat cells are placed in a special centrifuge that spins the syringes and separates the fat from any excess fluid.  Once the fluid is drained off, the fat cells are mixed with Liberase (collagenase) which digests these tissues rich in stem cells.  The specimen is then spun once again to concentrate the stem cells in the lower part of the syringe.  The resulting stem cell solution, called the stromal vascular fraction, is then mixed with platelet poor plasma to neutralize the collagenase.  The stem cell solution is now ready to be administered via joint injection or IV.

Choosing The Right Stem Cell Treatment

You have a choice between many regenerative medicine treatments or products, and we want you to make an informed decision.  At Advanced Therapeutics, we follow an Institutional Review Board approved protocol. Dr. Wolf has completed the NIDA clinical trials network training on Good Clinical Practice and has over 20 years of experience harvesting fat, injecting joints and utilizing ultrasound in needle guided procedures.

Our training and experience make us uniquely qualified to provide this extraordinary service to our patients in a safe and professional environment, performed by an experienced, licensed and highly qualified physician.