The Joint Preservation Institute of Iowa is now offering stem cell therapy in Des Moines.

Dr. Goding is one of the firstorthopaedic surgeons in the nation to offer this treatment. He uses autologous stem cell therapy and the regenerative power of mesenchymal stem cells to give patients another treatment option for dealing with orthopaedic conditions, such as osteoarthritis and other degenerative joint conditions.

You may benefit from orthopaedic stem cell therapy if you have:

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells found in bone marrow. The Joint Preservation Institute of Iowa performs autologous stem cell therapy, which means that the stem cells used in your treatment are taken from your own body, not from a donor. Using your own stem cells for the procedure helps reduce your risk of infection and eliminate the possibility of immune rejection.

In an autologous stem cell procedure, Dr. Goding will draw a sample of bone marrow from the iliac crest of your hip. The sample is filtered and concentrated in a sterile environment, then injected into the area of your body needing help to heal. This procedure is done on an outpatient basis while under sedation and leaves no scarring.

The idea behind orthopaedic stem cell therapy is that the injection of these concentrated regenerative cells at an area of your body experiencing degeneration will kick-start your bodys ability to heal itself. These injections can be given as an independent treatment or in conjunction with a surgical procedure.

Most cells in the human body have an assigned purpose. They are liver cells, fat cells, bone cells and so on. These cells can replicate more of their own kind, but they cannot create another type of cell.

Stem cells are the primitive cells from which all other cells developed. They are undifferentiated cells with the ability not only to self-replicate, but also to become different types of human cells. There are several types of stem cells, but the kind used in orthopaedic stem cell therapy are called mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

Bone Marrow Concentrate

Dr. Goding uses the BioCUE system from Zimmer Biomet. This system produces 77.5% recovery of nucleated cells.

Higher available cell numbers have correlated with improved results.

Autologous Protein Solution (APS)

APS is the newest treatment in the field of injectable orthobiologics. This procedure is essentially a further processing of platelet rich protein (PRP).

The tremendous advantage of APS is that it is derived from the blood instead of bone marrow. It is less painful, has less potential for injury, is less costly and it provides similar results.

After APS is derived from the blood, it is processed into PRP and then processed into APC. Using APC prevents macrophage cells from destroying healthy cartilage cells and has a profound anti-inflammatory effect in the joint. It also promotes growth and health of existing cartilage cells.

A recent study has shown up to 70 % pain reduction at 6 months in patients undergoing this procedure.

Dr. Goding uses the nSTRIDE system for APS treatments. An MSC has strong potential for tissue repair because it can:

In medical research, tissues such as muscles, cartilage, tendons and ligaments have shown some capacity for self repair. As a result, tissue engineering and the use of MSCs and/or bio-active molecules, such as growth factors, are being tested and studied to determine the role they can play in tissue regeneration and repair.

Articular Cartilage Damage to the articular cartilage following an injury has poor potential for repair and can lead to arthritic changes many years later. Recent studies have shown favorable outcomes and better knee scores at two-year follow ups for bone marrow derived MSCs that those of current techniques of microfracture and autologous chondrocyte implantation.

Bone Trauma and some pathological conditions can lead to extensive bone loss, which requires transplantation of bone and other bone substitutes to restore structural integrity. A large number of studies have shown great potential for mesenchymal cells to repair critically sized bone defects, producing better bone growth and more robust bone formation than controlled groups.

Tendons and Ligaments Injuries to tendons and ligaments heal by forming new tissues of inferior quality. Autografts, allografts and resorbable materials have been used to repair defects in tendons and ligaments, but these carry risks, such as donor site morbidity, scar formation and tissue rejection. A number of studies on the use of MSCs to improve the repair of tendons and tendon defects have been carried out with favorable results when measured in histology and tissue strength. The use of mesenchymal cells with tissue allografts enhances the graft and improves the biomechanical properties compared to control studies.

Meniscus Most tears of the meniscus occur in avascular zones with little or no potential for repair. Standard biological healing processes produce limited results and meniscectomy (removal of all or part of the torn meniscus) has been shown to have a strong association with subsequent development of osteoarthritis. Recently, studies have shown that self-paced therapy, including MSCs, demonstrates biological healing and adherence of meniscal tears in avascular zones.

Initial Visit An initial consultation with Dr. Goding will be required to find out if you are a candidate for stem cell therapy. In some cases, an MRI may be recommended to confirm your diagnosis and rule out any underlying conditions that could cause complications. If you are determined to be a candidate for stem cell therapy, your procedure will be scheduled for another day. This initial consultation is usually covered by your insurance plan.

Preparation For two weeks prior to your procedure, do not take aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS).

Procedure Stand-alone stem cell therapy is done as an outpatient procedure, so most patients will leave the clinic and resume low impact activities the same day. Some patients have reported mild pain for 48-72 hours after their procedure, but this can often be attributed to the absence of their routine anti-inflammatory medications. After this time period, most patients will experience a gradual decrease in pain and some may begin to notice increased function.

Post-procedure To give your procedure the best chance to provide lasting results, our physicians recommend the following post-procedure restrictions:

Please note: If you are having a stem cell therapy procedure in conjunction with another surgical procedure, your recommendations may change. Consult with your physician on the guidelines and restrictions for your specific case.

No. Because mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) injections are considered investigational for orthopaedic applications, most insurance companies will not cover the cost. Please contact our office to discuss cash payment options.

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Stem Cells - Joint Preservation Institute of Iowa

The Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on "unscrupulous" clinics selling unproven and potentially dangerous treatments involving stem cells.

Hundreds of clinics around the country have started selling stem cell therapies that supposedly use stem cells but have not been approved as safe and effective by the FDA, according to the agency.

"There are a small number of unscrupulous actors who have seized on the clinical promise of regenerative medicine, while exploiting the uncertainty, in order to make deceptive, and sometimes corrupt assurances to patients based on unproven and, in some cases, dangerously dubious products," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement Monday.

The FDA has taken action against clinics in California and Florida.

The agency sent a warning letter to the US Stem Cell Clinic of Sunrise, Fla., and its chief scientific officer, Kristin Comella, for "marketing stem cell products without FDA approval and significant deviations from current good manufacturing practice requirements."

The clinic is one of many around the country that claim to use stem cells derived from a person's own fat to treat a variety of conditions, including Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and lung and heart diseases, the FDA says.

The Florida clinic had been previously linked to several cases of blindness caused by attempts to use fat stem cells to treat macular degeneration.

The FDA also said it has taken "decisive action" to "prevent the use of a potentially dangerous and unproven treatment" offered by StemImmune Inc. of San Diego, Calif., and administered to patients at California Stem Cell Treatment Centers in Rancho Mirage and Beverly Hills, Calif.

As part of that action, the U.S. Marshals Service seized five vials of live vaccinia virus vaccine that is supposed to be reserved for people at high risk for smallpox but was being used as part of a stem-cell treatment for cancer, according to the FDA. "The unproven and potentially dangerous treatment was being injected intravenously and directly into patients' tumors," according to an FDA statement.

Smallpox essentially has been eradicated from the planet, but samples are kept in reserve in the U.S. and Russia, and vaccines are kept on hand as a result.

But Elliot Lander, medical director of the California Stem Cell Treatment Centers, denounced the FDA's actions in an interview with Shots.

"I think it's egregious," Lander says. "I think they made a mistake. I'm really baffled by this."

While his clinics do charge some patients for treatments that use stem cells derived from fat, Lander says, none of the cancer patients were charged and the treatments were administered as part of a carefully designed research study.

"Nobody was charged a single penny," Lander says. "We're just trying to move the field forward."

In a written statement, U.S. Stem Cell also defended its activities.

"The safety and health of our patients are our number one priority and the strict standards that we have in place follow the laws of the Food and Drug Administration," according to the statement.

"We have helped thousands of patients harness their own healing potential," the statement says. "It would be a mistake to limit these therapies from patients who need them when we are adhering to top industry standards."

But stem-cell researchers praised the FDA's actions.

"This is spectacular," says George Daley, dean of the Harvard Medical School and a leading stem-cell researcher. "This is the right thing to do."

Daley praised the FDA's promise to provide clear guidance soon for vetting legitimate stem-cell therapies while cracking down on "snake-oil salesmen" marketing unproven treatments.

Stem-cell research is "a major revolution in medicine. It's bound to ultimately deliver cures," Daley says. "But it's so early in the field," he adds. "Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous practitioners and clinics that are marketing therapies to patients, often at great expense, that haven't been proven to work and may be unsafe."

Others agreed.

"I see this is a major, positive step by the FDA," says Paul Knoepfler, a professor of cell biology at the University of of California, Davis, who has documented the proliferation of stem-cell clinics.

"I'm hoping that this signals a historic shift by the FDA to tackle the big problem of stem-cell clinics selling unapproved and sometimes dangerous stem cell "treatments" that may not be real treatments," Knoepfler says.

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FDA Cracks Down On Stem-Cell Clinics Selling Unapproved Treatments - Iowa Public Radio

NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson returned Earth on Saturday, marking the end of her record-breaking time in space. Whitson spent several months working on the International Space Station, the $100-billion orbiting laboratory located about 250 miles above Earth.

The astronaut made the trip back home with NASA astronaut Jack Fischer and Roscosmos cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin. The trio safely landed the Soyuz MS-04 capsule on Earth at 9:21 EDT Saturday southeast of Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan.

Whitson and Fischer contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, physical science, biotechnology, and Earth science during their stay at the orbiting outpost. Whitson, 57, now holds the U.S. record for most time in space, as she totals 665 days in orbit.

This marked Whitsons third mission to the ISS. Her 288-day mission to the space outpost which spanned 122.2 million miles and 4,623 orbits of our planetbegan in November last year. She performed four spacewalks, bringing her overall total to ten. The biochemist has repeatedly shared her enthusiasm and love for her job.

I feel great, said Whitson during an in-flight interview on Monday, according to Reuters. I love working up here. Its one of the most gratifying jobs Ive ever had.

Whitson spent most of her time in the mission working on numerous scientific experiments. Fischer and Whitson supported research in a study on how astronauts eyes can change due to prolonged exposure to a microgravity environment. The duo also conducted a new lung tissue study that analyzes how stem cells work in the microgravity environment of the space station, which could help for future research on stem cells.

NASA says Fischer and Whitson also worked on a study on antibody investigation, to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs for cancer treatment, as well as a study of plant physiology and growth in space using an advanced plant habitat.

The astronauts, who also welcomed cargo spacecraft delivering tons of supplies, food, and research experiments, helped to attach the Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass Investigation (ISS CREAM) on the exterior of the ISS in August, which is currently observing cosmic rays from across the galaxy.

Whitson also set a record for the most time spent spacewalking by a woman. She was due to return to Earth three months ago with the two crewmates who traveled with her in November. However, she stayed longer to fill a vacancy after Russia announced it would reduce its station staff from three to two cosmonauts.

During another in-flight interview, Whitson said she looked forward to reuniting with her loved ones.

Im looking forward to seeing friends and family, she said, according to Reuters. But the thing Ive been thinking about the most, kind of been fantasizing about a little bit, are foods that I want to make, vegetables that I want to saut, things that Ive missed up here.

Back in April, she broke the 534-day U.S. record for cumulative time in space. She is now part of a space hall of fame that includes seven Russian cosmonauts in the first spots. The world record-holder for cumulative time in space is Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, who spent a total 878 days in orbit.

Whitson grew up in Iowa and says she was drawn to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration after the U.S. Apollo program that landed men on the moon. When women were able to join the space agency, she also applied. Whitson became an astronaut in 1996 and was the first woman to command the ISS and the first woman and first non-pilot to serve as chief of the NASA Astronauts Corps.

Yurchikhin, who came back with the American astronauts, also broke his record, as he has spent a total of 673 days in space, putting him seventh (one spot higher than Whitson) on the all-time space endurance list.

The Russian cosmonaut will head to Russias cosmonaut center in Moscow, and Fischer and Whitson will go to NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston.Because hurricane Harvey caused severe damages all across Houston, NASA was forced to close the center temporarily and to come up with a contingency plan for getting Fischer and Whitson home.

NASA teamed up with the European Space Agency and sent the astronauts to the ESA center in Cologne, Germany. There, the NASA Gulfstream jet is scheduled to pick them up and carry them back to Houston on Sunday night. Whitson recently said NASA has been working non-stop after Harvey.

Our home is fine, but so many friends and co-workers have been impacted [by the storm], Whitson said in an interview with NASA, according to Space.com. For example, in order to keep mission control running, the team (three shifts of a skeleton support crew) were sleeping on cots in the backup mission control rooms. Their sacrifices for the station and keeping things running up here are amazing.

Source: Reuters

Link:
US record holder for most time in space Peggy Whitson returns to Earth after 288-day mission - Pulse Headlines