Executive Health
WHAT IS REGENERATIVE MEDICINE?
Regenerative medicine seeks to replace tissue that has been damaged by age or trauma, vs. the current clinical strategy that focuses primarily on treating the symptoms and surgery such as joint replacement. When degeneration or injury occurs, our bodies have the innate response to heal and repair. What if it was possible to harness the power of the body to actually heal itself?
Regenerative medicine procedures are a surgical alternative which unleash your body’s full healing potential by utilizing your own stem cells, platelets, and growth factors to regrow lost or damaged orthopedic tissues naturally. Your body has the potential to heal itself by harnessing and focusing the very cells which comprise our entire body on the microscopic level.
WHAT IS BMC?
BMC stands for Bone Marrow Concentrate. This is also known as BMAC or Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate. This means that the doctor takes bone marrow (usually from the pelvis as that’s the richest stem cell source) and centrifuges this to remove the fraction containing stem cells. This is then called BMC and re-injected to help bone, cartilage, muscles, tendons, or ligaments heal.
Medicine today tends to focus on suppressing the natural healing response with treatments such as anti-inflammatories and cortisone injections. None of these treatments create or promote healing of any sort, leaving the root cause of pain and degeneration to continually worsen.
WHY CHOOSE REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
OVER SURGERY?
Orthopedic surgeries such as joint replacement are being done for patients younger and younger despite the fact that these surgeries carry significant risk for infections, hardware failure, and the need to replace the prosthetic joints after they wear out over the years. Orthopedic surgeries also carry a much longer down time and do not guarantee improved pain or function.
Patients treated without surgery with Regenerative medicine procedures usually return to their daily activities within two to five days. In comparison, Orthopedic surgery recovery time is extensive and can take anywhere from six months to a year to completely heal.
Regenerative medicine procedures carry a far lower medical risk in general, due to the very nature of utilizing your body’s own home-grown, locally-sourced, organic cellular materials.
Regenerative medicine procedures do not require the weeks of downtime and recovery that surgeries typically create the need for. Our patients walk out the door after their procedures and do not require restrictive slings, boots, or braces. This ability for early mobilization and immediate rehabilitation ensures even faster recovery and healing times than surgery can offer. Nothing is worse for a joint than immobilization! The lack of downtime makes for a much easier, more stress-free recovery, and most patients are able to resume their normal daily activities including work after only a few days as opposed to weeks or months!
Whether a patient is too young or old to undergo surgery, or simply looking for surgical alternatives, regenerative medicine procedures are appropriate for people of all ages and activity levels.
FOR WHOM ARE THESE INTERVENTIONS BEST AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO COMMON SURGERIES?
- People seeking joint healing or avoiding
replacement surgery - People looking to restore the ability to be active
or athletic - Home care patients seeking more independence and a better quality of life
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER BEFORE MAKING A DECISION ABOUT SURGERY:
- How healthy are you now?
- Are you concerned about being too young or too elderly for replacement surgery?
- How motivated are you to work through a monthslong rehabilitation process to regain mobility?
- Are you aware that the joint replacement hardware has a limited lifespan 10-20 years max?
- Are you aware that serious infections can frequently occur due to joint replacement surgery?
- Did you know that any invasive surgery can disrupt soft tissue and limit mobility?
TEST
REGENERATIVE
MEDICINE
VS
SURGERY
2 TO 5 DAYS
RETURN TO
DAILY ROUTINE
6+ WEEKS
3 TO 6 MONTHS
RETURN TO
SPORTS
1 YEAR
NO SLING OR BRACE,
UP TO 6 WEEKS PT
RECOVERY
CRUTCHES, BRACE,
EXTENSIVE,
NO DRIVING,
3 TO 6 MONTHS PT
MOSTLY OVER-THE-COUNTER PAIN MEDICATION (DAYS)
PAIN
MANAGEMENT
PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDICATION FOR WEEKS (WEEKS)
NO
GENERAL ANESTHESIA
YES
YES
KEEP YOUR JOINT
NO
AREAS WE TREAT
KNEE
Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis,
ligament tears and sprains/strains (ACL,
MCL. PCL, LCL), Patellofemoral syndrome,
Meniscal damage and tears
SHOULDER
Rotator cuff tears,
sprains/strains, Tendonopathy,
Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid
arthritis, Labral tears
HIP
Greater trochanteric bursitis, gluteus
tendonopathy and sprains/strains, hip joint
osteoarthritis, labral tears, hip adductor and
abductor injuries.
ELBOW
Lateral and medial epicondylitis (Tennis and
Golfer’s elbow), tendonopathy, elbow joint
arthritis, ligament sprains/strains and
damage such as Tommy John’s.
WRIST/HAND
Tendonopathy, arthritis of the thumb, hand,
wrist, and finger joints, TFCC tears, wrist and
hand sprains/strains
ANKLE/FOOT
Ligament tears, ankle sprains, Arthritis of
the ankle, foot, and toe joints, metatarsalgia,
plantar fasciitis
RESULTS:
The most important aspect of regenerative medicine procedures’ results is HEALING PAIN AWAY OVER TIME. Stem cell therapy for orthopedic problems can have varying results. For example, you may see improvement in your pain symptoms anywhere from six months to a few years after stem cell therapy.
Nevertheless, it is most common for patients to notice the effects of the treatment after a few weeks. With improved pain levels comes improved function and quality of life! A reduction in pain, improvement in range of motion, and joint repair are some of the benefits of stem cell treatment. In some instances, this form of regenerative therapy can slow down the progression of degenerative conditions and eliminate the need for invasive surgeries. Patients are then able to return to activities within days instead of months.
DOCTORS YOU CAN TRUST:
We understand that making medical decisions in today’s healthcare system isn’t easy! New technologies and safe, effective, empirically-sound interventions require time, experience, knowledge, and a level of trust.
VIPrivate Care and its doctors are willing to take the required time to develop the trust necessary for
you to achieve the confidence level you deserve!
MICHAEL CANTOR, DO
Dr. Michael Cantor was born in Staten Island, NY and is a graduate of Rutgers College at Rutgers University. He obtained his medical degree at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury, NY. He completed his residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.
Dr. Cantor then spent the next three years performing cutting edge orthopedic stem cell procedures in Denver Colorado. During this time he successfully treated hundreds of patients with over 1000 regenerative medicine procedures ranging from children to professional athletes and seniors with chronic orthopedic issues such as arthritis, tendinitis, and ligament damage without the need for surgery.
Dr. Cantor could not be more proud or excited to help bring forth and further the revolution of non surgical orthopedic stem cell therapies to his home in the greater New York/ New Jersey area.
Dr. Cantor is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is board certified in Physiatry by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Dr. Cantor has performed over 1000 unique stem cell procedures, giving him unique insight into what results can be expected for a particular treatment depending on body area and severity. Very few physicians nationwide have as much experience performing regenerative medicine procedures. He has given a TEDx talk about the subject matter, and has taken care of several professional athletes with outstanding results.
SAMMY MASRI, MD
