How a Boutonnière Deformity Is Treated
Have you recently suffered a finger injury? If your middle joint juts upward and the tip of your finger juts upward as well, it could be a boutonnière deformity. Read on to learn how it can be treated.
What are Pericytes and How Can They Help You Heal?
Cells are the basic building blocks of every living thing. There are more than 200 different types of human cells, and your body is home to trillions of them.
Each type of cell has a specific purpose, and the most versatile of them all is the stem cell. Stem cells are your body’s raw material. They can turn into any other type of cell under the right conditions, and this makes them a key piece of your body’s healing process.
In the world of regenerative medicine, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) get a lot of attention. But pericytes share many similarities with MSCs, and they can help you recover from injury in much the same way.
Kristopher Downing, MD, & James Andry, MD at Upper Extremity Specialists, of Ortho 1 Medical Group, provide lipoaspirate therapy with pericytes, which is a type of regenerative medicine that uses fat from your body to stimulate better healing.
Pericytes and lipoaspirate therapy
When you get injured, your body immediately starts to heal itself. This healing happens on a cellular level, as cells repair themselves and new cells are created to replace those that were destroyed in the injury.
Pericytes are cells found in the inner lining of your blood vessels. They support blood vessel formation and support your body’s natural repair system. Pericytes maintain the structural integrity of your blood vessels and reduce vascular complications when you get injured.
Since pericytes are a type of multipotent stem cell, they can also differentiate into other types of cells — not just blood vessel cells. Pericytes act as messengers that call extra cells to damaged or injured areas to stimulate the healing process.
Pericytes give your body more of the materials it needs to repair damaged tissue and heal from injury. While pericytes are found throughout your body, they’re highly concentrated in fatty tissue.
With lipoaspirate therapy, Dr. Downing harvests pericytes from your own fatty tissue and injects the cells into the site of your injury to accelerate your body’s healing processes.
Injuries lipoaspirate therapy can treat
Dr. Downing specializes in regenerative therapy for a number of orthopedic injuries, including:
- Bursitis
- Fractures
- Tendonitis
- Strains and sprains
If you have an injury that’s limiting your mobility and quality of life, schedule a consultation to find out if you’re a candidate for lipoaspirate therapy. This therapy is a customizable treatment, and since it uses elements from your own body, the risk of side effects is low.
The process of lipoaspirate therapy
With this therapy, Dr. Downing uses a small, hollow needle to extract fat tissue from an area of your body. Then, he processes the tissue to separate the pericytes from the other components of your fat, which results in a highly concentrated serum of pericytes.
He then injects the serum into the part of your body that’s injured. He may use X-ray or ultrasound to ensure the needle is in the right place, but this isn’t always necessary.
The injection takes just a few minutes, and then you’re free to go home. You may notice some inflammation or swelling around the injection site. Any side effects should fade within a few days.
Your body starts using the extra pericytes to regenerate cells right away, but full healing takes time, and it will be several weeks before you notice significant results. Depending on your injury, Dr. Downing may recommend a series of lipoaspirate injections.
Are you ready to see if pericytes might be able to help you heal? Learn more by booking an appointment online or over the phone with Upper Extremity Specialists today.
You Might Also Enjoy...
Take These Steps to Prevent Sports Injuries
Playing sports offers a host of benefits for athletes of all ages, but sports can be dangerous — and injuries are common. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to protect your health. Follow these steps to stay safe and improve your performance.
Are You a Good Candidate for Lipogems?
Do you have a painful condition and are wondering about your treatment options? Have you considered Lipogems®? This minimally invasive therapy is designed to stimulate the body’s healing process to stop pain for good.
6 Common Sports Injuries and How They’re Treated
From sprained wrists to rotator cuff tears, upper extremity injuries are common among athletes of all ages. Learn about six of the most common sports injuries and find out what to do if you get injured on the field.
Is It Likely That I’ll Have Arthritis if It Runs in My Family?
Arthritis is characterized by joint pain and stiffness. Anyone can develop arthritis, but if someone in your family already has it, your risk could be higher. Find out if arthritis is hereditary and what you can do if you notice early warning signs.
Will a Hairline Fracture Heal on Its Own?
Hairline fractures and stress fractures are small, but that doesn't mean they’re not a big deal. Here’s what to do if you think you have a hairline fracture, so you can find a treatment plan and start healing faster.