In general, regenerative agents describe any substance that can help the body accomplish its primary function of healing and rejuvenating tissue that has been acutely injured or degenerated over longer periods of time. These substances can be autologous – which means it comes from your own body— or they can be allogeneic – which means from outside your body.

Success in regenerative agents is much more dependent on the expert guidance of agent injections and comprehensive knowledge of proper procedures than on which substance is actually used in the healing process.

Learn more below…

PRECISELY GUIDED INJECTIONS

ULTRASOUND

Ultrasound is the premier form of visualization to assess soft tissue and guide injections for tendons, ligaments, labrum, meniscus, and joint injections. The power of ultrasound lies in real-time visualization, allowing for safe and accurate placement of the regenerative agents. The physician can assess tissue response to injection while a procedure is being completed.

Fluoroscopy is best used for spinal, bone, and joint injections and procedures. It is much more accurate than ultrasound in the spine, and the use of contrast agents during injection confirms accurate placement for all procedures. Often, ultrasound and fluoroscopy are used together to ensure the most accurate and efficacious placement and delivery during regenerative procedures.

Arthroscopy is direct visualization through high-quality fiberoptic scopes, generally utilized for joints by surgeons. These scopes are small, micro-invasive, and allow for real-time visualization of the placement of regenerative agents inside of joints.

WHAT IS INJECTED?

Prolotherapy is a general term used to describe a set of injections used in orthopedic medicine to heal or decrease pain. In the last 80 years, approximately 10 different agents have been used while today, most Prolotherapy is done with a simple sugar called dextrose.

Autologous Cellular Therapy is an injection of stem cells sourced from the person who is receiving the injections. These stem cells can be derived from any tissue in your body as they are present to heal and repair tissue on an ongoing basis. These cells may come from adipose, bone marrow, or your blood.

Blood Derived Agents are basically platelets concentrated from a person’s own blood via centrifugation. The concentration is then injected into the structures that have degenerated or have failed to completely heal from an injury. These are minimally invasive procedures that have minimal chances of negative effects.