Stem cell therapy for knees

I had stem cell (not transplants - from my own fat cells) done on my knee a few years ago. There is a big difference in the stem cell therapy I had, and the stem cell transplant (from human embryonic cells) that people with serious illnesses get. The process for me was PRP (plasma rich platelets, derived from your blood), injected; then the stem cells, then another PRP. It was quite successful for me; it did not eliminate all the pain, but pain was minor. But the problem is that you never know if it will be successful or not. You should check out local practitioners and talk with them - I don't think they can guarantee success. It cost total around $8,000 (one knee) and was not covered by insurance. The reason I had to have a total knee replacement is because last Feb (2019) I fell down hard on my knee tripping over a jut in the sidewalk in the dark. I could have tried again with stem calls, but the cost adds up, plus the uncertainty. Probably your first step is to locate a reputable doctor in your area. There are tons of scams out there so be careful. Then get x-rays and talk with the doctor to see what advice they have. Good doctors will not recommend stem cell therapy on patients if they think it has no chance to work. It also can be done with bone marrow, which is as I understand it a bit more painful to extract, but the recovery is easier. Before you start: do a lot of online reading. Good luck.

Thank you for the information.

I have had a lot of experience with stem cells. Reading your message i don't think they will help you. They can clear up your arthritis but being bone on bone i suspect TKR is your best bet. I had one TKR and opted for stem cells on the other, plus plasma. It has helped but down the road i think i will have to do tkr. Hope this helps. Not good news but being honest with you.

Thanks for your information. That’s why I’m asking people’s opinions. Thanks again. Very helpful.

I went to physical therapy for knee pain. I have still been working out but can’t workout as hard as I could this time last year. Many in my family have had total knee surgery, I just don’t want that. Is there a study to be involved in for stem cell therapy? I know it’s not covered by insurance but I would love to try! 52 yo/f/ athletic

Good morning, It’s a shame our knees can’t keep up with our workouts! It’s so important to stay physically active and sadly, our knees can be victims from the years of physical activity.

I found a great article on the Mayo site about regenerative medicine using Stem Cells for knee repair. This might be of interest to you.
https://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/center-regenerative-medicine/patient-care/regenerative-medicine-therapeutic-suites
Has the physical therapy helped for your knee pain?

Hello @awcamanda and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I understand you wanting to do as much as possible in a minimally invasive way. Because others have also started a discussion on the same topic, I have moved your post into the existing discussion to allow all of you to connect and share.

Members like @darlenesass @cobweb and @saeternes have been part of this original conversation on stem cell transplant for knees and may have new information and/or experiences to share with you. Also, I see the wonderful @loribmt has joined and shared a link to some great information that may be useful to you as you explore this option.

What is the biggest draw for you for this option?

As someone mentioned stem cell is not 100%, but there is a Doctor who does wonderful things as an alternative to TKR. The name is The Stone Clinic in Santiago, Ca. Check it out. Also there is a new procedure being done in limited areas of the country’s where the implant is placed though the inside of the knee, this eliminates the need to cut thru larger muscles and tendons , therefore recovering is easier. Along with that many places are using injections into three nerves and they say there is relatively No pain post op recovery. Way less drugs invoked

i have found PRP to be very beneficial. I noticed NFL athletes are now using it. I found that after several weeks its back to normal for me. Better than an operation. Be careful that you use a reputable provider. Lots of bad actors out there.

At this time I’m in the process of addressIng /inquiring about the Ablation procedure for my knees following unsuccessful Gel injections. If anyone has had any experience w knee Ablation I’d Luv to hear about it. Thanks for all of the above input.