Stem Cell Therapy in Beverly Hills

Stem cell therapy is one of the most advanced medical technologies of our time.

Few specialists are advanced enough to use these technologies and apply them effectively. Dr. Soomekh has employed these techniques in the foot and ankle since their inception and continues to reinvent them.

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine:

At Foot and Ankle Specialty Group, we embrace the art and science of orthobiologics, which combines the body’s natural ability to heal itself and the use of stem cells and advanced medical technologies to repair and heal orthopedic injuries. By definition, orthobiologics is the inclusion of biology and biochemistry in the development of bone and soft tissue replacement materials for skeletal and tissue healing.

What is stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine?

Regenerative medicine simply means the use of the body’s own healing potential to recover from injury. Stem cell therapy is a form of regenerative medicine.

The use of orthobiologics in the treatment of foot and ankle injuries, both in the clinical and surgical venues, is significantly increasing. The clinician and the surgeon continue to seek better ways to accelerate and mediate healing of bone and soft tissue, while incorporating less invasive techniques. The use of stem cell therapy by Dr. Soomekh over the last several years has emerged in the forefront of biologic tools in this endeavor. Its use has been investigated in the treatment of bone healing (intra-operative fusions and fractures), tendon repair, and wound healing. Stem cells have been studied and utilized for the last 4 decades. Its use is based on the idea that the introduction of stem cells into an area can enhance the healing of bone and soft tissue on a cellular level. We are pleased to offer this high level of care to our Beverly Hills community.

The Basic Science of Stem Cells:

Within our bone marrow and fat there are specialized cells we call stem cells. These cells have yet to differentiate, or develop into a particular kind of tissue cell. These cells will eventually become bone, tendon, ligament, cartilage, muscle, or skin.

Stem cells are distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics. First, they are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves through cell division, sometimes after long periods of inactivity. Second, under certain physiologic or experimental conditions, they can be induced to become tissue- or organ-specific cells with special functions. In some organs, such as the gut and bone marrow, stem cells regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues.

Collecting the Stem Cells (Bone Marrow Aspirate):

The process of acquiring the stem cells is simple. It can be done in the office setting or in an operating room. The process will take about 20 minutes.

• Numbing medication is used to anesthetize the skin and tissue

• Small incision to the side of the heel bone or the front of the leg bone

• A needle is introduced into the marrow of the bone

• Bone marrow with the stem cells are drawn out of the bone into a syringe

• The bone marrow is then spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the stem cells

• The stem cells are injected or placed in the area of interest

The stem cells will be acting on the tissues for several days and weeks, as the tissue heals and regenerates.

Human Amniotic Stem Cell Therapy:

The latest in stem cell technology is the use of human amniotic cells in the form of tissue. Cells from the amniotic sac and fluid are rich in stem cells that have components that adult marrow stem cells do not have. This makes them ideal for use in regenerative medicine.

Amniotic stem cells have been in use for over 10 years and are considered safe by the FDA. They are harvested from a mother during C-sections, bringing no harm to newborns.

We know that amniotic stem cells work to reduce scar tissue by regenerating new healthy tissue. They can be used both in the office setting and the surgical setting. Dr. Soomekh will often use them in primary surgical cases where the production of scar tissue could lead to failure of the procedure. By introducing amniotic stem cells into the surgical site, surgical scarring is greatly reduced.

Uses of Stem Cell Therapy in the Foot and Ankle:

• Arthritis of the Big Toe Joint

• Arthritis of the Ankle Joint

• Cartilage Replacement

• Joint Fusion Surgery

• Revision Surgery

• Fracture Repair

• Nonunion of Bone Repair

• Chronic Plantar Fasciitis

• Chronic Achilles Tendinosis

• Chronic Joint Pain and Arthritis

• Chronic Tendon Tears

• Chronic Ankle Ligament Tears

• Chronic Wounds

• Plantar Plate Tear

Those patients that have failed conservative therapies are good candidates for stem cell therapy.

Why choose Dr. Soomekh for your stem cell therapy?

Dr. Soomekh has been offering stem cell therapy for many years with excellent results, and has pioneered many of its uses in the foot and ankle. Patient selection and the determination of the correct situation to implement stem cell therapy are crucial to its success. Dr. Soomekh has been perfecting the technique and has written many publications on the subject of BMA. He is recognized by his peers as one of the top stem cell therapy specialists in Beverly Hills and the Los Angeles area.