RegenaDISC - Disc Regeneration
Disc Regeneration with Stem Cell Therapy - only At Celling Treatment Centers
Disc regeneration is a complex process that requires a commitment to spine health. This starts with a smoking cessation program for people who smoke.
The RegenaDISC stem cell tissue transplantation procedures provide the foundation for disc regeneration.
After the RegenaDISC procedure, a specific exercise regimen is provided that can facilitate proteoglycan synthesis - the spongy material in the spine disc.
Our therapeutic exercise program is accompanied by nutraceutical supplementation that support disc health.
Review Article: Stem Cell Therapy in Orthopaedic Surgery: Current Status and Ethical Considerations
Intervertebral disc degeneration, which is manifested by gradual loss of water and proteoglycans, can lead to back pain and other morbidity. Treated conservatively, approximately 90% of patients show improvement.
After failure of conservative treatment, surgical options can be considered. Cell-based tissue engineering offers considerable promise for a biological alternative (transplantation to the intervertebral disc of mature autologous disc cells, chondrocytes or stem cells).
Cell transplantation can potentially increase proteoglycan production, induce discregeneration or slow the process of degeneration.
Mesenchymal stem cells made into nucleus pulposus cells
Lumbar disc degeneration is a significant cause of morbidity. Given that the key cells maintaining the mass of the disc are nucleus pulposus cells, one of the aims in regenerative medicine has been to treat disc degeneration by administration of stem cells.
However, one major question arises, would it be more beneficial to administer stem cells into the degenerating disc with the hope that they regenerate in vivo, or would it be better to induce new nucleus pulposus cells in vitro by differentiation and then inject them in vivo?
In a recent paper (Tao et al. Differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into nucleus pulposus cells in vitro. J Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci, 2008 Apr;28(2):156-8) the generation of nucleus pulposus cells was reported using a very interesting differentiation-inducing protocol.
The investigators fluorescently-labelled mesenchymal stem cells, which are already in the clinic and co-cultured them with nucleus pulposus cells.
The mesenchymal stem cells differentiated into cells that morphologically resembled nucleus pulposus cells...
Regenerating the Spine in FOUR Steps
Rehydrating the spine nucleus with stem cells, with or without bone morphogenic proteins, has been bouncing around the periphery of stem cell science for a decade or longer. Degradation of the spine disc from either acute or chronic disc injury and/or degeneration is the basis for most of today’s spinal implant sales. If physicians could rehydrate a degenerated disc reliably it could transform the business of selling spinal fusion implants and instruments.
But the nucleus is not a benign environment. Could, for example, stem cells survive the pH levels, the compressive and stress forces or vascular nature of the nucleus?
About 16 months ago data emerged from a small canine study (n=12) that adipose stem cells in a hyaluronic cocktail could rehydrate the disc to near normal levels. Then later that same year (Sept 10) a sheep study was presented at the Osteoarthritis Research Society International Meeting in Montreal which seemed to show that a single, direct injection of allogeneic or “off-the-shelf” adult stem cells into the degenerated disc nucleus could rehydrate or regenerate the disc.
Earlier this month, at the BioSpine3 meeting in Amsterdam several researchers presented goat and canine studies that deconstructed the mechanisms of action for disc degeneration and then looked at strategies for rehydrating or regenerating the degenerated disc.
Incidentally, if you missed BioSpine3 you’ll need to wait until 2012-2013 for BioSpine4 and the best overview of European biologics for the spine.
Is disc rehydration or regeneration a fantasia or a potential reality? Last year’s papers seem to indicate that, yes, cellular therapies COULD rehydrate the degenerated disc. BioSpine3’s first six papers tackled this question head on. Here’s what we learned: There are four not-so-easy steps to successfully rehydrating the disc.
Adipose stem cells for intervertebral disc regeneration: current status and concepts for the future
New regenerative treatment strategies are being developed for intervertebral disc degeneration of which the implantation of various cell types is promising. All cell types used so far require in vitro expansion prior to clinical use, as these cells are only limited available. Adipose-tissue is an abundant, expendable and easily accessible source of mesenchymal stem cells. The use of these cells therefore eliminates the need for in vitro expansion and subsequently one-step regenerative treatment strategies can be developed.
Mechanical Concepts for Disc Regeneration
Different strategies exist to treat intervertebral disc degeneration.
Biological attempts to regenerate the disc are promising. However, degeneration of the disc is always accompanied by alterations of disc 
height, intradiscal pressure, load distribution, and motion patterns, respectively. Since those preconditions are independent factors for disc degeneration, it is unlikely that regeneration may occur without firstly restoring the physiological status of the affected spinal segment. In vitro and in vivo animal studies demonstrate that disc distraction normalizes intradiscal height and pressure.
Furthermore, histological and radiological examinations provided some evidence for regenerative processes in the disc.
Only dynamic stabilization systems currently offer the potential of a mechanical approach to intervertebral disc regeneration. Dynamic stabilization systems either using pedicle screws or with an interspinous device, demonstrate restabilization of spinal segments and reduction of intradiscal pressure.
Clinical reports of patients with degenerative disc disease who underwent dynamic stabilization are promising. However, there is no evidence that those implants will lead to disc regeneration. Future treatment concepts should combine intradiscal cell based therapy together with dynamic restoration of the affected spinal segment.
Restoration of disk height through non-surgical spinal decompression is associated with decreased discogenic low back pain: a retrospective cohort study
Background
Because previous studies have suggested that motorized non-surgical spinal decompression can reduce chronic low back pain (LBP) due to disc degeneration (discogenic low back pain) and disc herniation, it has accordingly been hypothesized that the reduction of pressure on affected discs will facilitate their regeneration.
Conclusions
Non-surgical spinal decompression was associated with a reduction in pain and an increase in disc height. The correlation of these variables suggests that pain reduction may be mediated, at least in part, through a restoration of disc height.
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplementation to treat symptomatic disc degeneration: Biochemical rationale and case report
Background
The purpose of this article is to highlight the potential of these food additives against cartilage degeneration in general, and against symptomatic spinal disc degeneration in particular, as is illustrated by a case report. The water content of the intervertebral disc is a reliable measure of its degeneration/ regeneration status, and can be objectively determined by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) signals
Conclusion
Restoration of the sulfated proteoglycan matrix leads to more water retention and, therefore, measuring the water content of cartilage is an indisputable quality measure.
The case suggests that long-term glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate intake may counteract symptomatic spinal disc degeneration, particularly at an early stage.
Disc Regeneration Therapy using Marrow Mesenchymal Cell Transplantation
Marrow mesenchymal cells (MSCs) contain stem cells and possess the ability to regenerate bone, cartilage, and fibrous tissues. Here, we applied this regenerative ability to intervertebral disc regeneration therapy in an attempt to develop a new spinal surgery technique.
Fusion for lumbar intervertebral disc instability improves lumbago. However, fused intervertebral discs lack the natural and physiologic functions of intervertebral discs. If intervertebral discs can be regenerated and repaired, then damage to adjacent intervertebral discs can be avoided. We verified the regenerative ability of MSCs by animal studies, and for the first time, performed therapeutic intervertebral disc regeneration therapy in patients and obtained favorable findings.
Cellular Approaches to Disc Regeneration
The loss of cells in the nuclear matrix through apoptosis is one of the hallmarks of disc degeneration. The reason this process occurs is unknown. Loss occurs predominantly in cells of notochord lineage that are important in the production of the large, hydrated glycoproteins of the healthy nucleus. Cells of chondrocyte lineage are less affected, which lead to a relative increase in production of type I collagen (1).
Two cellular strategies using different candidate cell types have been identified as potentially useful in regenerating discs. The first technique uses differentiated chondrocytes and disc cells from normal discs; the second uses mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). These stem cells, available from a number of autologous sources, are less mature and, therefore, have the potential to divide and produce larger quantities of disc material. (Mature disc cells do not readily divide and are available only from healthy discs.)
| Celling Treatment Centers - Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine• Stem Cell Therapy•Herniated Discs - Degenerative Disc Disease - Painful Bulging DiscsRegenaDISC: Spine Disc Regeneration |
Stem cell therapy for spine problems such as disc pain, spine arthritis and degenerative disc disease can reduce inflammation and provide spine arthritis pain relief.
Celling Treatment Centers serves all of Texas, including Corpus Christi, Dallas, Houston, Midland-Odessa, Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio, Texas
RegenaDISC provides disc regeneration using stem cell therapy for degenerating discs, herniated discs and painful disc bulging.
Celling Treatment Centers is the exclusive provider of the RegenaDISC procedures.
Located in Austin, Texas, Celling Treatment Centers serves all of Canada and the United States including Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Texas, including Atlanta, Billings, Boston, Calgary, Chicago, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Edmonton, Houston, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Mesa, Miami, Midland-Odessa, Montreal, Orlando, Ottawa, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Quebec, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Scottsdale, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg.
RegenaDISC - the Smart Choice.
