Adipose Tissue Therapy

What is adipose tissue therapy?

Adipose tissue therapy is a stem cell-based regenerative treatment for chronic pain caused by bone or cartilage injuries or diseases. Adipose tissue, commonly known as body fat, is found all over the body, including between muscles, around internal organs, within bone marrow, and under the skin. Over the past decade, applications of adipose tissue therapy in regenerative medicine have grown. As it helps with bone tissue and cartilage repair, patients with joint injuries and osteoarthritis have benefited from adipose tissue therapy in gaining long-term pain relief and increased physical function without severe side effects.

How is adipose tissue therapy performed?

Adipose tissue therapy is a safe procedure with minimal risks. An aspiration needle is used to break through the skin to obtain about 150 to 220 cubic centimeters of adipose tissue. Since such tissue is found throughout the body, there are several areas it can be extracted, with the thighs and stomach being the most common. A local anesthetic is applied to reduce discomfort during the procedure. After the adipose tissue is obtained, there is a specialized process to extract stem cells from it, which are then injected into the damaged or injured tissue to promote regeneration and healing.

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How does the procedure work?

Stem cells from adipose tissue play an important role in this regenerative treatment because of their self-renewing and multipotential capabilities. This means that they can be guided to become other types of cells and thus replace old or damaged ones, which is crucial in healing injured tissue and reducing pain. Adipose tissue therapy also enhances the secretion of growth factors, a substance that attracts cells to damaged tissue, stimulates their proliferation, and enhances the body's ability for self-repair.

What are the benefits of adipose tissue therapy?

Adipose tissue therapy presents several benefits as a treatment for chronic pain, including enhancement of the body's ability to repair damaged tissue and increased production of growth factors that help injured tissue regenerate and heal.

Studies report that adipose tissue therapy significantly reduces pain in patients with Achilles tendinopathy and rotator cuff tears. It has also been shown to increase joint function for those with hip and knee osteoarthritis, as well as enhance cartilage regeneration for patients with knee and ankle damage.

This regenerative treatment using adipose stem cells is a safe, minimally invasive procedure with long-term benefits. There is little risk of injection and rejection since your own tissue is processed and used. Adipose tissue therapy is suitable for individuals with chronic conditions that have not been responsive to other treatments.

Are there side effects?

Adipose tissue therapy has no harmful side effects. The adipose tissue needed for the procedure is drawn from your own body, so no foreign components that could increase the risk of complications are introduced to your system. There are a few potential side effects that apply to minimally invasive treatments in general, such as bleeding or infection.

Conditions Adipose Tissue Therapy Treats