Non-Surgical Treatments
Regenerative Medicine - The Future Is Here
Many patients have the demand to remain active and healthy, but are not quite ready for surgery. New advances in regenerative medicine and orthobiologics, such as platelet-rich plasma or stem cell therapy can provide non-surgical solutions for certain injuries or diseases. Dr. Abouali has been on the frontier of these developments, having performed research on these groundbreaking treatments and applied them to his orthopedic practice in Toronto. As a leader in this field, Dr. Abouali has presented lectures and had taught his techniques doctors and surgeons across the globe.
What is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)?
Platelets are instrumental in healing processes because they release a number of growth factors and additional bioactive proteins upon activation. PRP is a growth factor therapy in which platelets are concentrated from serum. These preparations are made by obtaining blood from a patient and processing it (“blood-spinning”) to concentrate platelets above baseline levels.
What is nSTRIDE?
nSTRIDE is a cell-concentration system designed to isolate anti-inflammatory cytokines and anabolic growth factors from whole blood so that they can be reintroduced to the body at the site of insult.
nSTRIDE APS processes a patient’s own blood at the point-of-care to concentrate white blood cells, platelets, and plasma proteins into a small volume of plasma. The output contains the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ra, sIL- 1R, sTNF-RI, and sTNF-RII in concentrations well above what is found in native whole blood. nSTRIDE reduces prevalent inflammatory cytokine activity which is upregulated in osteoarthritis. Clinical trials have shown that nSTRIDE significantly reduces pain associated with knee arthritis that can last up to 3 years following a single injection. Click here to learn more.
What is Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is designed to replenish your natural joint fluid, known as synovial fluid, which deteriorates in conditions such as osteoarthritis. By injecting (HA) into the joints, also called viscosupplementation, it restores the ability to reduce friction and pressure in your joints, which alleviates inflammation and pain. It also helps to encourage your body to make more of its own healthy synovial fluid. Common brand names of hyaluronic acid include Durolane, Synvisc, Synvisc-One, Monovisc, Cingal, and Neovisc.
How are these injections performed?
Dr. Abouali uses his surgical expertise and ultrasound-guidance to precisely inject into the affected areas. The entire process takes anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes depending on the complexity of the injury or problem. Patients are kept comfortable during the procedure with the use of local anesthetic (i.e. freezing), and are able to walk out of the procedure without any assistance!
Is this treatment for me?
Regenerative medicine aims to heal injuries and disease from the source, as opposed to just masking the pain. Many patients will benefit from regenerative medicine, especially those that have not improved with other traditional treatments, or those who are looking to avoid surgery. To see if you are a candidate for regenerative treatment please book an appointment.
Dr. Abouali performs ultrasound-guided injections of PRP and nSTRIDE in his Toronto clinic to enhance tissue healing and strengthening
WHAT CONDITIONS CAN BE TREATED WITH REGENERATIVE MEDICINE?
Osteoarthritis (knees, hips, shoulders, ankles, elbows, wrists)
Tendon tears
Ligament tears
Rotator cuff tears
Tennis or Golfer’s elbow
Plantar fasciitis
Bursitis
Jumper’s knee
Runner’s knee
Enhancement of surgical healing
To learn more about regenerative medicine, check out this article by Dr. Abouali in Impact Magazine - Canada’s Leading Fitness Magazine.