Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative Medicine Q & A

Arthritis and other degenerative conditions can cause chronic pain and make it difficult for you to work and stay active. If you’re worried about needing surgery to end chronic pain in your hips, knees, or shoulder, Paul Eliot Hughes, MD, can provide the solution you need. At his San Mateo, California, orthopedic practice, Dr. Hughes offers cutting-edge regenerative medicine therapies to heal joint and tissue damage without surgery or extended downtime. Learn more about the many benefits of regenerative medicine by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Hughes online or by calling the office.

What is regenerative medicine?

Regenerative medicine is a revolutionary approach to healing the body from the inside. A variety of regenerative techniques are available to improve your overall health, reduce chronic pain, and repair diseased or damaged tissue, bone, and muscle.

 

Popular options in regenerative medicine are available at the orthopedic practice of Dr. Hughes, including innovative treatments like:

 

  • Fat grafts
  • Stem cell therapy
  • Bone-marrow-aspirate concentrate

 

To determine if you’re a good candidate for regenerative medicine therapies, Dr. Hughes performs a thorough evaluation of your injury and overall health. He might initially recommend regenerative medicine therapies if you’re in good health and don’t require immediate surgery.

How does a fat-graft procedure work?

A fat graft is a minimally invasive regenerative surgical technique where Dr. Hughes uses your excess body fat to generate new, healthy cells in areas of your body damaged by degenerative conditions or traumatic injury.

 

Through minor incisions, Dr. Hughes extracts excess body fat, then separates vital stem cells from the other fat components. He injects the stem cells into the treatment area to encourage natural healing and the generation of new tissue.

 

One benefit of the fat-graft procedure is the availability of adipose fat, the extra fat you have in your abdomen, thighs, and buttocks. Dr. Hughes can take out larger amounts of fat to achieve a greater concentration of stem cells for therapy.

What is bone-marrow-aspirate concentrate?

Bone-marrow-aspirate concentrate (BMAC) is made up of fluids from your bone marrow. This concentrate contains important stem cells that develop in different types of tissue.

 

Stem cells develop into new, healthy cells in just a few weeks, helping you heal from injury and chronic pain without the need for surgery.

 

Dr. Hughes uses BMAC therapy to help heal diseased or injured joints, cartilage, tendons, and muscle to prevent the need for surgery and other more invasive treatments. He can recommend BMAC therapy to address chronic pain from conditions that interfere with mobility in your knee, shoulder, hip, or elbow.

 

Dr. Hughes is also proud to offer Harvest® Technologies, an industry leader in cell therapy products for regenerative medicine.

 

Learn more about the benefits of regenerative medicine today by calling Dr. Hughes’ San Mateo, California, office or by booking an appointment online.