Stem cells are special cell types of human body which can be presented in every age of lifebut limited in number. Mostly they can be derived from cord blood in birth. In adults fat, blood and bone marrow are main sources for this cells. The main features of these cells are their capacities for regeneration and formation into any other human cells under proper signal and chemical pathways. These cells are now being used in various fields of medicine by the technological advancements. After recognizing this kind of cells health practitioners are now manipulating and using them for treatment of some diseases. In recent years with the technological advancements stem cells are derived from the patients own tissues and are used for the same patients diseased tissues or organs.
The treatable diseases are limited by the light of the science of today. Of course in the future this kind of therapies is going to be spreaded and used in more fields. We use stem cell therapy in some orthopedic diseases. These are for instance femoral head avascular necrosis,nonunions, joint diseases especially originated from cartilage problems. Because of the limited capacity for regeneration of the cartilage tissue stem cell therapy could provide a regeneration for the defected area under proper signal pathways. New studies are currently encouraging us for this treatment because of the nearly original regenerated tissue results.
In stem cell therapy stem cells are derived from patients own tissues. As a source fat, blood or bone marrow could be used. Samples are cultured in special labs and concentrated before application.
A simpler method for stem cell therapy is making injection in operation rooms via special devices for concentration. This method is currently being used in Europe for two years. This fast method provides a 4-5 cc injection of concentrated stem cells from the patient in short time. Because of the successful results it is crucial to select the proper patients. Young patient who had undergone physical therapy, viscosupplementation, arthroscopy treatments without successful results are better candidates for this therapy.
The musculoskeletal diseases which stem cell therapy could be used;
