If you are reading this page it is likely you are in a category of patients who are still looking for answers despite years of conservative management. You probably tried physiotherapy, one or more cortisone injections but are not keen to explore surgical options yet. You may have had some form of keyhole (arthroscopic) treatment in the past which at this point does not seem to control your symptoms. At your last follow up visit with your orthopaedic surgeon, a long discussion may have taken place over whether to continue with your conservative care options or pursue a shoulder or elbow replacement. 

Our body is a complex and remarkable machine. Following an injury, our body initiates an automatic series of events to repair the injured tissues.  During the first stages of this process, fluid accumulates from the injured cells.  The body reacts by generating new blood vessels and sending new cells to remove the damaged tissue and stimulate growth of new healing tissue. This tissue is made of collagen and is meant to repair and replace the damaged tissue at the site of the injury. The healing has four phases, and the last stage is the maturation process. During the maturation, the newly formed healing tissue, as a result of various signals from the body, such as chemical changes and cells, is replaced by strong replacement tissue. The maturation phase lasts between three weeks and two years.

Biologic treatments mimic the body’s natural healing process by accelerating the maturation of the healing tissue. Mr Negru can help your body respond faster to an injury and can discuss an array of biologic treatments for the shoulder and elbow. Some of these treatments include:
    • Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections
    • Stem Cell Injections

Conditions which can be treated with biologic therapy

It’s important to consult with an orthopaedic specialist who has experience in administering biologic treatments as an alternative to shoulder or elbow surgery. These treatments may be indicated in less severe cases but are not always an alternative to surgical treatment.  Some of the shoulder and elbow conditions which patients seek biological treatment for are:
    • Rotator Cuff Tears
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow
    • Partial tendon tears
    • Joint pain and inflammation

To learn more about shoulder and elbow surgery alternatives and biologic therapy as an alternative to joint replacement surgery, please contact us.