Adipose
Using your own body tissue to repair itself.
About Adipose
As we age, adipose tissue, or fat, is the ideal source for mesenchymal cells — cells that have remarkable healing and regenerative properties. These cells can be extracted, processed, and then injected back into the injured area so your tissue can regenerate and repair.
What is a Fat Harvested Progenitor Cell Injection?
At Future Medical Group we use an FDA-approved mechanical system that washes fat tissue to remove fat globules, oils, and blood while preserving the natural and beneficial properties of the tissue (the pericytes and mesenchymal progenitor cells that are naturally stored in your fat). It processes tissue without using enzymes, additives, or separation centrifugations.
The progenitor cells tend to stay in the area where they are injected allowing your body to maximize the benefits for an extended period of time. Fat Harvested Progenitor Cell injections can be safely performed under local anesthesia or with mild IV conscious sedation.
How Does It Work?
Adipose tissue, or fat, is loose connective tissue composed of adipocytes. Its main role is to store energy, but it also contains progenitor cells (mesenchymal cells and pericytes), which have remarkable healing and regenerative properties. Progenitor cells are undifferentiated cells that multiply from tissue such as cartilage, tendon, and bone, meaning your body can create the tissue it needs to heal itself. Adipose may be found in large quantities in most people, and it guarantees an adequate amount of progenitor cells with good viability and, regardless of age, excellent differentiating potential.
The activated cells are then injected into the desired areas. Once set in the new environment, the cells begin to repair and regenerate tissue.
What is the Procedure?
Your adipose cells are harvested through a mini-liposuction. After your doctor selects a site for fat extraction, the area is injected with a mixture of anesthetic and saline. Once the area is sufficiently anesthetized, about 50-120 cc of fat is extracted. There is little to no change in your appearance at the extraction site.
The aspirated adipose tissue (fat) is then processed mechanically to break up the adipose cells into smaller cells, ridding it of blood and other potential inflammatory sources. What remains are small, activated clusters of adipose mesenchymal cells. Once processed, these cells are ready to be injected into the intended area.
The harvesting and processing takes about 30 minutes, and the entire procedure takes about 45 minutes.
The Result
Progenitor cells take several weeks to months to differentiate. Fortunately there seems to be a more immediate anti-inflammatory effect from this injection that occurs a few days after the procedure. About 10-15% of patients will feel better within a couple weeks, but most patients will experience some improvement of pain, swelling and inflammation within 6 weeks. The more profound effect with reparative tissue formation could take 4-6 months. Notable to this procedure is the ability to continue activity afterwards with significantly less downtime than would be expected from typical cartilage, joint, or spinal surgeries.
If you are interested in learning if a Fat Harvested Progenitor Cell treatment may be right for you, please contact us for additional information.
What Our Patients Say.
“Dr Solomon has treated my elbows, shoulders and now knee. I trust his diagnosis and he has repaired, alleviated pain and cured every time.”
Chris C.
