Accidents and injuries related to it are also unpredictable. Even if you can avoid accidents, wear and tear in your joints can lead to arthritis and other bone-related diseases. While the younger ones can heal and recover from injuries from conventional treatments, the process deteriorates as we grow old.
In such orthopedic procedures, the dilemma is often between risking health or mobility. Over the years, orthopedic treatments have advanced tremendously. One area where advancements are being made is in the field of regenerative therapy.
What is Regenerative Medicine?
Regenerative Medicine is a new field of medicine in which orthopedic surgeons focus on preservation rather than replacement.
“There are certain cells that have the capacity to regenerate after the injury and certain cells don’t get replaced with the same cell type. Liver cells have the capacity to regenerate to some extent. Nerve cells don’t have the capacity to regenerate post injury and the damage is permanent. Researchers have been trying to regenerate and grow in the lab the cells that don’t have the capacity to regenerate. This can help to restore the function of those organs,” Dr. Avinash Date, Consultant, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Mumbai, told Financial Express.com.
Dr. Venkatesh Movva, MD, Sports Medicine & Founder RegenOrthoSport told Financial Express.com that there are many different approaches to regenerative medicine, including using stem cells to stimulate the body’s own repair processes, growing replacement tissues and organs in the laboratory, and using small molecules or biologics to stimulate tissue repair.
Some of the areas where regenerative medicine is being explored include:
Cardiovascular disease: Researchers are working on ways to use stem cells to repair damaged heart tissue, as well as developing lab-grown blood vessels and heart valves.
Diabetes: Scientists are exploring the use of stem cells to regenerate insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, which could potentially be used to cure diabetes.
Musculoskeletal injuries: Researchers are working on using stem cells and tissue engineering techniques to repair damaged bones, tendons, and ligaments.
Neurological disorders: Scientists are investigating the use of stem cells to repair damaged brain and spinal cord tissue, which could potentially be used to treat conditions such as stroke and spinal cord injuries.
Wounds: Researchers are exploring the use of stem cells and other techniques to accelerate wound healing, which could be useful in treating chronic wounds and injuries.
Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedic Treatments
Regenerative medicine has the potential to make a significant difference in the field of orthopedics. According to Dr. Date, presently there are very few conditions for which it can be treated using technology like Type 1 Diabetes.
“Dedifferentiated stem cells can grow into only certain types of cells. E.g. marrow stem cells or adipose stem cells are dedifferentiated. This can be used for conditions like avascular necrosis of the femoral head with limited success. There are marrow stem cells that can be multiplied in the lab and used combined with the matrix in a few conditions. Cartilage cells also are multiplied in the lab and used combined with the matrix to fill up the cartilage defects in the joints. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has many growth factors which have the capacity to attract stem cells towards it which helps in healing. It is used a lot in skin conditions and also in conditions like tennis elbow,” Dr. Date told Financial Express.com.
Dr. Movva told Financial Express.com that orthopedic doctors are often called upon to repair or replace damaged or diseased musculoskeletal tissues, such as bones, tendons, and ligaments. Some of the ways that regenerative medicine could be used in orthopedics include:
Stem cell therapy: Stem cells are a type of cell that has the ability to develop into many different types of tissue. Researchers are exploring the use of stem cells to stimulate the body’s own repair processes and regenerate damaged tissues, including musculoskeletal tissues.
Biologics: Biologics are substances that are made from living cells and are used to stimulate the body’s own repair processes. Some biologics, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), have been shown to be effective in promoting the repair of damaged musculoskeletal tissues, and are being increasingly used in orthopedic surgery.
Regenerative Medicine in India
Regenerative medicine is a relatively new field that is still in the early stages of development, and as such, it is not yet widely available in India.
Dr. Movva emphasised that there is a growing interest in the field, and many researchers and clinicians in India are working on developing new approaches to regenerative medicine.
“The scope and potential of regenerative medicine in India are significant, as it has the potential to revolutionize the way a wide variety of diseases and injuries are treated,” he said.
Dr. Date also told Financial Express.com that currently there is no regulation on the use of stem cells.
“…autologous chondrocyte transplantation is a fairly formalised procedure. Stem cell therapy is experimental without definitive beneficial results. The only thing we know about stem cells is that it doesn’t cause any harm as they are your own cells. PRP works well in some conditions like tennis elbow but doesn’t work very well in plantar fascitis which is a similar condition. It is still an evolving science,” he added.
Dr. Date also said that research on stem cells has been going on for many years and scientists have achieved great success.
“So it is definitely promising. The only limitation is it is not formalised. So it is not available to everybody on a global scale where everybody can give the same results as the originators. Scientists have created and replaced the whole of the larynx by laying stem cells over the 3-D printed matrix. So in the future, there is a possibility of creating the organs in vitro (outside the body) and transplanting them,” Dr. Date added.
‘Promising Future For Regenerative Medicine’
According to Dr. Date, the future of regenerative medicine is very promising.
Meanwhile, Movva pointed out that regenerative medicine has the potential to revolutionise the way we treat a wide variety of diseases and injuries, from diabetes and heart disease to spinal cord injuries and bone defects.
“Ongoing research and clinical trials are critical to advancing the field and bringing the full potential of regenerative medicine to bear. In addition, the necessary regulatory frameworks and infrastructure must be developed to ensure the safety and effectiveness of these treatments and enable their widespread use with utmost care,” he said.
The potential for regenerative medicine to improve health outcomes and reduce the burden of disease in India is significant, he added.