Stem Cell Injections and Prolonged Relief [Video]

About the video: Can stem cell injections (BMAC) injections delay joint replacement surgeries?

Regenerative therapies are used to manage pain and bridge the gap between noninvasive conservative treatments and major surgeries. Listen to our experts Steven Stulc, D.O. and Kirk Scofield, M.D. discuss how stem cell injections can prolong the need for joint replacement surgery.

Meet Steven Stulc, D.O.

Dr. Stulc’s approach: “My goal is to treat patients with a comprehensive approach to their spine related disorders, understanding that improving pain and function can have a tremendous impact on quality of life.”

Dr. Stulc’s education: Dr. Stulc studied at Southwestern Minnesota State University in Marshall, MN for his undergraduate degree, and he completed his medical degree at Des Moines University in Des Moines, IA. Following his residency in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation program at Mayo Clinic, he completed advanced fellowship training in Interventional Pain Medicine at Penn State University’s Department of Anesthesiology in Hershey, PA.

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.

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: Stem Cells and Injections
• Learn more about Regenerative Medicine Services

Video Transcription

With regenerative therapies, I think people are excited as it fills a gap or a bridge between some of those real noninvasive conservative treatments and a major surgery like a joint arthroplasty or a joint replacement. In one way, if you think about it in terms of managing pain, sometimes regenerative therapy such as PRP and BMAC can give you prolonged relief. You might have six months to a year to two years or more of relief from one of these injections. And in that way, yes, it could significantly delay the need for a joint replacement. That’s what we really care about – is how well you’re functioning. When we use these therapies, we’re not expecting to grow back your cartilage and make your knee look like it was 18 years old again. We’re expecting to make you function better and have less pain in your daily life and do the things that you want to do. And that’s really the reason to use these therapies. Sometimes, by using these, we can push off joint replacements for years on end if it continues to give you benefit. And that’s our goal – is to try and give you as much time and function with what you have before you need surgery. These are especially helpful for younger individuals who have arthritis, because revision joint replacements are harder than a primary joint replacement. So if we can delay the joint replacement where you would only need one in your lifetime, that would be a successful use of these therapies to try and avoid two surgeries.

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