Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative Medicine in Valencia, CA and Lancaster, CA

AVORS Medical Group offers advanced regenerative medicine, including PRP injections and stem cell injections. PRP works to stimulate the collagen and elastin production of your skin. The result is the thickening and tightening of thinning skin, thereby reducing wrinkles and fine lines, as well as improving skin tone and texture. PRP injections can produce excellent effects for rosacea and acne.

We also offer stem cell injections to reduce inflammation, repair damaged cells, regulate the immune system and regenerate blood flow. See below for more info. For PRP injections and stem cell therapy at our medical centers. Please contact us in Valencia, CA (661) 705-5100 or Lancaster, CA (661) 726-5005 for more details or to make an appointment.

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What Is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)?

PRP injection is a non-operative treatment option that relieves pain by naturally promoting long-lasting healing of musculoskeletal conditions. PRP is already popular among professional athletes. Many have attributed PRP injections with enabling them to return back to regular activity and competition after a sports injury. This technique is also showing promising results for conditions such as arthritis, tendonitis, and ligament injuries. PRP is not something that wears off over time such as a traditional pain injection like cortisone. Although short-acting, cortisone is a popular choice because it works quickly and also because it is usually covered by insurance. However, PRP provides patients with a long-lasting, potentially permanent solution.

How Does PRP Work?

PRP is derived from your own blood by taking a sample, placing it in a special tube, and spinning the blood in a centrifuge for about 15 minutes. This separates the whole blood into its components including red blood cells, platelets, and plasma. The middle layer constitutes PRP which contains highly concentrated platelets. Platelets are the cells normally known for their importance in clotting blood, however, they also contain hundreds of proteins called growth factors that are important in the healing of injuries. The basic idea behind PRP injections are to deliver high concentrations of growth factors to an area of injury stimulating a healing process and reducing inflammation in the tissue. PRP stimulates and accelerates the body’s natural healing process.

PRP Procedure

A health professional will draw your blood from an arm vein and place in centrifuge to concentrate the PRP.
Once PRP is ready, it will then be injected into the affected area. The affected area may include a tendon or a joint which can cause some discomfort during and possibly after the procedure.
The entire procedure typically takes about 20-30 minutes.
It is expected to take up to 6-8 weeks to adequately assess your response to the PRP injection.

Can Surgery Be Avoided With PRP?

PRP therapy may improve the chance of healing and diminish the opportunity for escalation of an injury. Avoiding surgery is highly dependent on the extent of the injury. Clinical studies using both ultrasound and MRI images have shown definitive tissue repair after PRP treatment confirming the healing process.

If you are considering PRP injections, you can schedule an appointment with one of our providers for evaluation and treatment at AVORS Medical Group.

Stem Cell Treatment

Stem cell treatment is a regenerative non-surgical treatment option for some orthopedic or musculoskeletal conditions that cause pain and debility. Stem cells are special types of cells found in the bone marrow. They are considered “undifferentiated” meaning they have not developed into a specific cell and therefore have the potential to develop into a broad range of cells and therefore can be used to help maintain and repair tissue. Stem cells are extracted from bone marrow and can be directly injected into the affected area of the joint. The “undifferentiated” cells release growth factors in the injured area. This release of stem cells in the injured area can trigger damaged tissues to repair themselves and therefore is considered as “regenerative”. Stem cell therapy aims to slow and repair damaged tissue or cartilage, decrease inflammation and reduce pain, and possibly delay or prevent the need for surgery.

How is it performed?

The procedure to extract stem cells from the bone marrow takes 10-15 minutes and is usually performed in an office setting with local anesthesia. Extraction of bone marrow is taken from the hip or pelvic bone with a needle and specialized syringe and prepared for injection. The stem cells are then injected into the arthritic joint or site of injury. The entire process takes approximately 1-2 hours.
What to expect after treatment?

Some patients report some mild discomfort at the extraction and injection sites but are able to resume normal activities the next day. Since stem cells stimulate the regenerative process, it can take 4-6 weeks to take effect. Many patients experience pain relief within 4 weeks of treatment. However, each case will vary regarding the timeline of relief and depending upon the severity of damage or injury to the treated site or joint.
Why is it not covered by insurance?

Currently the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) considers stem cell treatment as “investigational” or sometimes referred to as “off-label”. Until additional stem cell injections can demonstrate a clear benefit, patients who opt for this treatment must pay “out-of-pocket” and are informed that there should be an understanding that stem cell treatment may not be effective in all patients. The FDA has approved some stem cell procedures related to embryonic stem cells used for blood or immune system disorders, but not for orthopedic treatments.
Common areas for treatment

• Osteoarthritis of the hip, knee, shoulder, hand/wrist, and spine
• Meniscal tears
• Hip labrum tears
• Tendonitis & Bursitis
• Tendon injuries
• Ligament sprains or tears
Contraindications, side effects, and precautions

• Systemic infection
• Cancer