Can regenerative medicine help with hip arthritis?
It may. In a study comparing PRP with hyaluronic acid gel injections for hip arthritis, fewer patients treated with PRP went on to need hip replacement surgery. PRP uses platelets from your own blood to support the body’s natural healing. For some people, it may help delay or avoid hip replacement, though results vary.
Arthritis is a condition that affects many elderly citizens in the United States, and it’s a condition that can strike any of the human body’s joints. One of the most common and most debilitating areas where arthritis can strike is the hip. The hip is crucial for mobility and people with hip arthritis struggle to get around.
A new study has been made that offers a different solution to surgery for people with hip arthritis, and that different solution comes in the form of regenerative medicine.
A New Study Suggests Platelet-rich Plasma Can Help with Hip Arthritis
The study on hip arthritis and regenerative medicine was undertaken by Matthew J. Kraeutler at the St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in New Jersey. The purpose of the study was to compare the success of a common hip arthritis treatment to that of a regenerative medicine technique. The common treatment was an injectable gel treatment called hyaluronic acid, and the regenerative medicine technique was platelet-rich plasma or PRP.
PRP is a patient’s blood that has been enriched by adding platelets from the patient’s own body. It can be imagined as ‘super blood’, and it enhances the body’s own ability to heal by encouraging stem cells to help with the healing process. There is evidence that PRP can be beneficial in helping injuries heal in a shorter timeframe as compared to being left to heal naturally. For pricing details, see what PRP therapy costs and what changes the total.
Study Uncovers New Hope for People Suffering from Hip Arthritis
In a controlled test for the study, 30 patients suffering from hip arthritis were injected with hyaluronic acid, while 32 patients suffering from the same condition were injected with PRP. These patients were then monitored to see how they fared.
Over the next months, 50 percent of the patients who were injected with the traditional treatment of hyaluronic acid went on to get hip replacement surgery, while only 11 percent of those who were treated with PRP went on to have their hips replaced or repaired.
That’s quite an astonishing difference. It does seem that PRP is a very effective treatment in helping people with arthritis delay and even prevent the need for hip replacement surgery.
If you would like to learn more about PRP and other forms of regenerative medicine, then please contact us here at the Michigan Center for Regenerative Medicine. We can be contacted at (248) 216-1008, or you are welcome to use the online contact form on our website.
Keep learning
Related Articles
Joint & Spine Pain
SI Joint Pain After Pregnancy: Why It Lingers and What Actually Helps
Why does SI joint pain linger after pregnancy? During pregnancy, the hormone relaxin loosens pelvic ligaments, which can make the SI joint …
Joint & Spine Pain
What to Try Before Knee Replacement Surgery: A Regenerative Medicine Physician’s Guide
What can I try before knee replacement surgery? Before knee replacement, a full evaluation with imaging such as X-rays or MRI helps …
Joint & Spine Pain
Relief from Knee Pain with Regenerative Medicine: Healing at the Source
Can regenerative medicine relieve knee pain without surgery? For many patients, it may. Regenerative medicine uses your body’s own ability to heal …
