21 Apr FAQs on Amniotic Stem Cell Therapy
Amniotic fluid is highly concentrated in proteins, cytokines, stem cells, and other components that are useful for the boy. Clinical studies show that amniotic fluid and stem cells have many benefits.
What are amniotic stem cells?
Amniotic fluid is the fluid that surrounds the fetus during pregnancy. After delivery of the baby, the amniotic fluid is disguarded. Now, many consenting mothers are donating this fluid because of its regenerative stem cell properties. Amniotic stem cells are useful for reducing inflammation and scar tissue. These stem cells do not come from the embryo, but rather, they are in the fluid and the amniotic sac.
What are the benefits of amniotic stem cell therapy?
Amniotic stem cell therapy is an effective, safe treatment with absolutely no risk for rejection to the patient. The fluid contains many growth factors that stimulate new tissue growth, reduce inflammation, and activate stem cell properties. In addition, amniotic fluid contains hyaluronic acid, which serves as a joint lubricant and promotes growth of new cartilage.
Who is a candidate for amniotic stem cell therapy?
Amniotic stem cell therapy is ideal for patients who have:
- Soft tissue or intra-articular injuries, including cartilage and meniscus
- Osteoarthritis
- Achilles tendon tears
- Sacroiliac pain
- Ligament or tendon tears
- Epicondylitis
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
- Joint pain
- Low back pain
- Neck pain
How is amniotic stem cell fluid obtained?
When the fetus is developing, the amniotic fluid contains a high concentration of stem cells. The fluid has more stem cells than bone marrow and adipose (fat) tissue. The fluid is obtained during a caesarian delivery, and the stem cells are harvested in a centrifuge process in the laboratory. After an activation solution is added, they are processed to produce the biological injectable fluid. This injection produces anti-inflammatory agents when placed into the injured or damaged body region.
Can amniotic stem cells help with back problems?
Currently, amniotic stem cell therapy is being used as a form of spinal fusion, where back surgery has failed to relieve pain or for people who are not candidates for spinal fusion surgery. These products surround the spinal cord to inhibit scar tissue formation. Favorable results show that these injections help with degenerative arthritic pain, where tissue is regenerated after 1-3 injections.
Are amniotic stem cell injections safe?
Thousands of amniotic stem cell injections have been performed with no reported adverse side effects. Amniotic stem cell therapy is actually the preferred method because the cells are derived from an immune-privileged site. The use of these cells is well-researched, effective, and safe, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB).
Is amniotic stem cell therapy effective?
In a large study of patients with chronic discogenic back pain, researchers conducted a randomized controlled study. In the amniotic stem cell therapy group, patients showed much improvement of pain after treatment. All participants reported improvement after the 3rd and 6th months, and two-thirds continued to have improvement after one year. The amniotic fluid cell therapy group had a much more sustained effect compared to the long-acting steroid group in this study.
Resources
Bhattachary N (2012). Amniotic Fluid Cell Therapy to Relieve Disc-Related Low Back Pain and Its Efficacy Comparison with Long-Acting Steroid Injection. Human Fetal Tissue Transplantation, 251-264.
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