Platelet-rich plasma injections and stem cell therapies are ushering in a "new dawn" in orthopedics, according to Jason Arora, DO, a board-certified interventional spine and pain management physician at West Orange, N.J.-based Atlantic Spine Center.
Lower back pain is the second leading cause of disability in the U.S., much of which can be attributed to degenerative disc disease, Dr. Arora said.
Recent research published in The Journal of Spine Surgery concluded that plasma-rich platelet injections are a safe and effective treatment for discogenic back pain. A study in the Biomedical Journal of Scientific and Technical Research concluded that bone marrow concentrate is a promising option for lower back pain treatment, given its low rate of adverse effects compared to surgery.
In stem cell therapy, cells obtained from bone marrow or adipose tissue are centrifuged to isolate and obtain the specific cells needed to stimulate collagen regeneration when injected into a damaged spinal disc. Dr. Arora believes more research is needed to perfect centrifuging techniques and improve patient outcomes but sees promise in these new approaches to lower back pain treatment.
"All of us carry within ourselves the molecular material for restoring and returning damaged or aged tissue to health," Dr. Arora said. "That's what makes these biologic therapies so promising. They are utilizing our own resources to treat injury and disease successfully."