Orthobiologics, often called "regenerative medicine," are products made from substances found in and sourced from your own body. These products are used to improve and promote healing of injured muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and bones. These cutting-edge treatments are still being researched and explored, but many patients have experienced healing and recovery from injuries that would otherwise require surgery. At Excelsior, several physicians perform platelet-rich plasma injections and bone marrow aspirate injections, both of which fall under the category of orthobiologics.
Bone marrow aspirate (BMA) is a procedure in which the doctor harvests your body’s own bone marrow, creates a stem cell concentrate, and injects it into the area(s) of injury. These injections work directly at the site of injury or degenerative tissue to greatly increase healing potential. Bone marrow contains growth factors and anti-inflammatory proteins which promote healing. It may be an option for patients who are not good candidates for surgery and have cartilage injuries, ligament or tendon injuries, or osteoarthritis. Most patients see improvements in 4-6 weeks, with the long-term healing lasting 9-12 months, and the side effects are minimal.