Regenerative Therapies for Knee Pain: Alternative to Knee Replacement

Knee pain from injuries or arthritis can often be treated without risky knee replacement surgery. New, less invasive therapies using your bone marrow help heal the knee and reduce pain.

Highlights:

Knee replacement is for very severe knee pain, while early to moderate knee problems can be treated without surgery
Post-knee surgery may cause complications like infections, blood clots, and nerve damage
Regenerative treatments use your bone marrow to reduce inflammation and restore knee function

Knee pain is the most common musculoskeletal problem in people of all ages. Pain is felt around the knee joint which can be due to an injury such as a ruptured ligament or torn cartilage ().

While knee replacement surgeries save many individuals with final-stage arthritis, it is not for early or moderate conditions that can be effectively treated with regenerative therapies.

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Knee pain is a common symptom that often affects obese and older individuals. Common causes of pain in the knee joint include osteoarthritis, torn menisci, torn ligaments etc.

‘Did You Know?
Women experience more #kneepain than men due to differences in hormones and bone structure. #kneereplacement #bonehealth #medindia’

Knee Replacement Surgery: When Is It Necessary?

Knee pain often interferes with daily activities like walking, climbing stairs, or sleeping. Dr Venkatesh Movva, a regenerative medicine specialist at RegenOrthoSport, Hyderabad, and Dallas highlights the importance of exploring less invasive treatments for earlier stages of knee issues.

Knee replacement surgeries come with potential risks leading to further complications. Damaged parts of the knee joint are replaced with artificial components made of metal and plastic. It is typically recommended for individuals with:

Severe Osteoarthritis – A degenerative disease that degrades the cartilage, changes bone shape and causes inflammation.
Rheumatoid Arthritis – A chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that damages the cells lining the joints.
Post-Traumatic Arthritis – A type of osteoarthritis that damages the knee after a trauma or injury.

According to Dr. Venkatesh Movva, surgery is suggested only when knee pain interferes with walking, sleeping, and performing everyday activities. If treatments like physical therapy, medication, or injections do not relieve pain, then surgeries are required.

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Potential Risks of Knee Replacement Surgery

While knee replacement can be life-saving for patients with severe arthritis, knowing the potential risks after the surgery is important. They are:

Infections – Post-surgical infections in or around the knee joint.
Blood Clots – Clot formation in the legs after surgery.
Nerve or Vessel Damage – Nerves and blood vessels surrounding the knee may get damaged.
Shelf life of Prosthetics – Artificial knees typically last 15-20 years and have to be replaced.

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What Happens During Knee Replacement Surgery?

A knee replacement surgery replaces some or all knee joints with prosthetic parts to walk and perform other work normally. Modern surgical techniques, like minimally invasive methods, have improved recovery times and outcomes. However, before doing surgery, it is advisable to find alternative treatments, especially for individuals with mild-to-moderate knee pain.

Patients with early-to-moderate knee issues can get non-surgical treatments as an alternative. One of those treatments offered in regenerative medicine is Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) therapy, which uses a patient’s bone marrow to treat joints, tendons, and other bone injuries.

BMAC therapy is done by extracting the bone marrow from the patient’s hip bone. The cells are concentrated in a lab and the concentrated solution is injected into the knee joint using advanced imaging for accuracy.

By treating the root cause of knee damage, BMAC can slow disease progression, reduce inflammation, and help restore knee function, delaying or avoiding further surgeries.

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Benefits of Regenerative Treatments

Regenerative therapies like BMAC have several advantages over traditional knee surgeries such as minimally invasive, targeted healing, and personalized treatment.

According to Dr. Movva, regenerative therapy is beneficial for individuals with:

Early-to-moderate osteoarthritis
Cartilage injuries or mild ligament issues
Those who prefer non-surgical options for knee pain

Though knee replacement surgeries provide relief from pain, they may lead to post-surgery complications. So, it is recommended to consult a specialist to find the best treatment approach depending on the severity level.

Reference:

Knee Replacement Alternatives to Consider - (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/knee-replacement-alternatives-to-consider)

Source-Medindia