Are Regenerative Medicine Injections Safe? [Video]

Regenerative medicine specialists Kirk Scofield, M.D., and Andrew Clary, D.O., explain Summit Orthopedics’ dedication to safety and expertise in regenerative injection therapies, as well as how traditional injections compare to regenerative approaches.

Meet Kirk Scofield, M.D.

Dr. Scofield’s education: Dr. Scofield completed his undergraduate studies at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, Washington. He attended medical school and received his degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, Washington. His residency was at North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, Colorado. He completed his fellowship in primary care sports medicine from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A fellowship is the highest level of advanced professional training for physicians.

Meet Andrew Clary, D.O.

Dr. Clary’s approach: “I want to learn about you, your interests, and help you get back to the life you want to live.”

Dr. Clary’s background: Dr. Clary completed his undergraduate studies in Cleveland, OH at Case Western Reserve University. After earning his medical degree at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, PA, he attended the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for both an Anesthesiology-focused residency and an Interventional Pain Medicine fellowship.

Expert care

Summit’s team of experts provide innovative regenerative medicine therapies for those looking for an alternative to traditional treatments. They can treat arthritic joint pain, sports injuries, neck and back conditions—creating an environment to trigger tissue repair and healing.

Start your journey to better function and less pain. Visit our regenerative medicine services hub and find your expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a consultation.

Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MN, Plymouth, MN, Vadnais Heights, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as additional community clinics throughout the metro and southern Minnesota.

More resources for you

• Watch the video: What is a Stem Cell?
• Ask Dr. Stulc: What Is Regenerative Medicine?

Video Transcription

There are other forms of regenerative medicine and regenerative treatments for orthopedic conditions that have been studied. But currently, we’re offering, really, the primary options that meet FDA guidelines for regenerative conditions. We’ve got a really well-educated team here. We have specialists who have done this, who have read about this, who’ve studied this, who know as much about this as any specialists, frankly, in the region or beyond. With the experience that we have here, the procedure is as comfortable as can be. Harvesting or taking of the cells from that hip area is done, again, with a lot of numbing medication specifically targeted with image guidance to make sure we’re going in the right spots. Since the 1940s or 50s, we’ve been doing cortisone injections into arthritic joints, and doing that actually does relieve pain significantly, but usually, it’s pretty short-lived. And we know that if we continue to do cortisone over and over in a place, there are some potential side effects, both locally to the joint or tissue where we’re injecting it, that could actually potentially accelerate the new generation of that joint or tissue. And also systemically, there are some potential bad side effects. So in comparison, doing a PRP injection or a bone marrow injection into a joint, is going to relieve pain generally, but also may actually be healthy for the joint rather than detrimental to the joint over time.

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