Stem Cell Therapy for Rotator Cuff Tears

The rotator cuff is composed of four muscle-tendon units that attach the upper arm bone to the shoulder blade and provides strength and stability to the shoulder. When one of these units becomes torn during athletic activities or from chronic overuse, patients experience pain, weakness and loss of motion.

Orthopedic specialists often begin treatment for a torn rotator cuff with rest, medications, cortisone injections and physical therapy. Surgery is commonly the next step if conservative measures fail. Dr. Waterman offers stem cell rotator cuff repair so patients can use their own adult stem cells found throughout their body either at the time of repair or in select patients as a possible alternative to undergoing surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation program.

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Adult stem cells, also known as autologous stem cells, are recognized in the medical field as having a natural ability to help the body with both healing and regeneration. Adult stem cells are extracted from a patient’s own body, typically from the iliac pelvic bone found in the hip. By utilizing a patient’s own stem cells, the risk of disease transmission, tissue rejection and infection is eliminated. Patients also eliminate the ethical concerns associated with the controversial embryonic or fetal stem cell treatments.

Stem cell therapy for rotator cuff tears requires Dr. Waterman to harvest a sample of a patient’s bone marrow, usually from the hip region. The bone marrow sample is then spun in a centrifuge to separate the “pluripotent” adult stem cells, platelets and white blood cells from the red blood cells. The combination of the three healing agents is then injected directly into the damaged rotator cuff to promote tissue healing and regeneration. Alternatively, allograft (donor) cells harvested from otherwise discarded placental tissue may be used as an in office procedure.