Stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis

Innovative therapy for joint wear and tear in Bonn

Stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis

Innovative therapy for joint wear and tear in Bonn

Are you suffering from osteoarthritis and looking for an innovative and effective treatment method? Then stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis in Bonn could be the right solution for you.
Stem cell therapy is a revolutionary method of treating osteoarthritis that uses the body’s own stem cells to regenerate damaged tissue and promote the healing process.

What is osteoarthritis?

And what treatment options are available

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of cartilage tissue in the joints. Cartilage is the smooth tissue that covers the surface of the bones in the joints, reduces friction and acts as a shock absorber. Osteoarthritis causes this cartilage to gradually break down, resulting in pain, stiffness and limited mobility.
Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint, but is most common in the hips, knees, hands and spine. The exact cause of osteoarthritis is not fully understood, but there are various factors that can increase the risk of developing the condition, such as mechanical stress, misalignment of the joints, age, obesity, injury or genetic predisposition.
Symptoms can worsen over time and significantly affect the quality of life of those affected.

The treatment of osteoarthritis aims to alleviate the symptoms, improve the function of the affected joint and slow down the progression of the disease. There are various conservative treatment methods such as physiotherapy, pain medication, weight reduction, exercise therapy, therapy with hyaluronic acid or autologous blood or, in the case of advanced osteoarthritis, endoprosthetics (joint replacement).
Stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis

Stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis

Maintaining joints with state-of-the-art therapy

For a long time, arthroplasty – i.e. joint replacement – was the only treatment option for advanced osteoarthritis. Modern stem cell therapy has offered an excellent non-surgical alternative for several years.
Dr. Klingenberg is one of the first in Germany to use the modern form of stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis in Bonn and has now treated well over 700 patients (as of 10.2023) with this modern therapy. In recent years, Dr. Klingenberg has scientifically evaluated the therapies he has carried out – and came to the conclusion that this conservative method is on average only very slightly inferior to arthroplasty. This makes stem cell therapy an excellent alternative, as it can offer numerous other advantages:

Stem cells have the potential to develop into different cell types, including cartilage cells. By injecting stem cells into the affected joint, the regeneration of the joint mucosa and the existing cartilage tissue can be stimulated. Above all, however, the remaining cartilage tissue is broken down significantly less compared to other treatment methods or no treatment at all – the progression of the disease is slowed down! Painful irritation of the bones close to the joint, bone marrow edema, is demonstrably reduced in many patients. This can lead to an improvement in joint function and a reduction in pain and stiffness.

As the stem cells are obtained from the patient’s own body, there is a lower risk of side effects or rejection reactions compared to other treatment methods that use foreign materials.

Stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis is a minimally invasive procedure that is usually performed on an outpatient basis and under local anesthesia. This means that the procedure is less stressful and allows for a faster recovery time.

Stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis

From diagnosis to follow-up treatment

The aim is to obtain stem cells from the body’s own fat cells and inject them into the affected joint in order to improve the symptoms.

First, you make an appointment with Dr. Klingenberg. During the first consultation, your medical history will be taken and a thorough examination of the affected joint will be carried out. Imaging techniques such as X-rays or MRI can be used to determine the severity of the osteoarthritis.

Once the decision for stem cell therapy has been made, the stem cells are harvested from the patient’s fatty tissue. The abdominal wall or alternatively the outer thighs are locally anaesthetized so that a cannula can be inserted through a tiny incision. This allows a small amount of fat cells to be harvested – around 30 ml per joint, far less than is required for most aesthetic procedures.

In order to obtain stem cells from the removed fat cells, they are centrifuged several times: the oil finally separates from the cell walls in which the stem cells and the other growth factors are located.

The prepared regeneration-promoting mixture is injected into the affected joint together with the body’s own plasma. In the knee joint, this is done under ultrasound guidance, in the shoulder and hip joint under CT – this allows us to inject precisely into the site of damage in order to achieve a targeted effect.

After stem cell therapy, you can usually leave the practice on your own after 30 minutes. Aftercare is very individual and will be discussed with you personally by Dr. Klingenberg. It may include physiotherapy, movement exercises or other measures. The aim is to improve joint function and promote the regeneration of cartilage tissue.

Would you like to find out more about the therapy? Then take a look at my book or listen to the audio book.

The audiobook was recorded by the German voice of Dr. House.

TopCast meets Dr. med. Markus Klingenberg
Podcast Autologous fat tissue transplantation
KnorpelDoc audio sample one
KnorpelDoc audio sample two

Do you have any questions?

FAQ on stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis in Bonn

Knee joints, hip joints, shoulders and ankle joints can all be treated. The wrist and thumb saddle joint are also often suitable.

This is possible without any problems. Various combinations are possible, such as both knee joints at the same time or one knee or shoulder joint. A maximum of four joints can be treated in one procedure. The prerequisite is, of course, sufficient fatty tissue.

The treatment time for stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis in Bonn is around 1.5-2 hours. In most cases, the treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis in our practice and you can go home on your own afterwards. If you have to travel long distances, it may be advisable to stay overnight in one of the nearby hotels.

The results of the therapy can be assessed after approximately two months. The result depends on many factors. These include age, lifestyle, diet, mechanical stress on the joint, etc. It can be assumed that the treatment should be repeated approximately every 3-5 years. This period can be extended by a regular annual “booster” with the body’s own plasma (ACP). If the therapy does not lead to the desired result, then “no bridges have been burned”. Joint replacement as a therapy is still possible.

Improving joint function, reducing pain and increasing quality of life – all this is possible with stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis in Bonn. If you would like to find out whether you are eligible for this therapy, please make an appointment.
We look forward to helping you restore your quality of life and, ideally, give you a pain-free future.

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