When there is a fracture of the bone, the affected site may be plastered for the fracture to heal. In some cases, this may not be enough to mend the bones and surgery may be required along with bone grafting to rectify the condition. A new form of therapy, involving a less invasive procedure has been developed. It involves culturing the stem cells and using the same to mend and regenerate parts of the bone.

What does the treatment involve?

In this process, one cultures cells from the patient s body. The cells are extracted from the bone marrow. These cells are cultured in the lab and injected back to the affected region of the body. Research has shown that after the injection, the treatment takes anywhere between 7 to 8 weeks to repair the fracture completely.

Since stem cells are being harvested from the patient and not from a third-party, the treatment does not have any ethical constraints. However, more studies are being conducted to prove without a doubt that the same does not cause any damage to the body of the patient in the long run.



It is likely that this procedure will replace rudimentary surgical techniques, such as bone harvesting, in the future. It is far less invasive and does not result in extreme pain or prolonged hospitalization.

The future of the treatment: 

While stem cell culture has been around for a few years now, the use of the same procedure to treat fractures is The Latest Technology. It is in its early stages, which is why such a form of treatment is not offered by all hospitals across the globe and very selective surgeons having experience of the procedure would perform it.

Additional research and studies are being conducted to further confirm the efficacy of the treatment. Research has revealed that stem cell insertion in the bone can be used to regrow defects and heal non-unions of a bone. In some cases, repeated stem cell insertion may be required. The bone that grows as a result is as strong as the other bones in the body.

Stem Cell Culture For Broken Bones - What Is It?

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the bones of a patient. This is most commonly found in women, especially in those women who are close to or going through, menopause. Hormonal changes around this period in a woman's life usually lead to various changes in her body. One of these changes include loss of bone tissue which can leave the patient with brittle and weak bones, a condition that is also known as osteoporosis. This condition literally imbibes the word porous, meaning hollow bones. It is born from an acute deficiency of calcium and vitamin D. The DEXA Scan or bone density test, also known as the Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry Scan, is one of the most effective tests that can help you in detecting this kind of damage or thinning bones. Here's why.

    Fractures: The DEXA Scan is an important one because it sends low energy beam to areas like your joints and tissues to show how susceptible you are to fractures. It does so by measuring the strength of the tissues as well as the bones to see how brittle they may be.
    Other Ailments: Measuring the thinning of your bones can also point to the presence of other ailments that may have gone unnoticed or undetected, earlier. These can include kidney disease, hyperparathyroidism which happens due to overactive secretions of the said gland, as well as liver disease due a malfunctioning liver, intestinal disease and various disorders in the intestinal tract, and a serious vitamin D deficiency. With this scan, you can get an insight into the other parts of the body affected by the bone density and whether or not they are functioning properly.
    Estrogen: Simply checking the estrogen levels cannot ascertain whether or not you have osteoporosis, as a high estrogen level can be credited to a particularly heavy period cycle. It does not show the bone health the way a DEXA Scan does.
    Easy and Standardised: This method of scanning usually happens with the help of a mounted X ray machine type, hand held gadget which can be extended to conduct the scan. This is an easy and standardised method that releases low levels of radiation which also makes it a healthier option.
    Bone Density Scores: The T Scores and Z scores point towards the bone density and help in diagnosing the condition efficiently. With a systematic scoring system, it is a sure shot test for osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a serious condition. The first step in treating the same is to get a detailed scan like the DEXA scan done, so as to test the extent of the bone thinning to ensure that proper and timely treatment takes place.

Why is the DEXA scan important for osteoporosis patients?

Bones are similar to a porous framework which is filled with minerals that make it hard and strong. With age, there is gradual degradation and the mineralized portion is lost, thereby leading to thinning of the bone. The word osteoporosis literally translates to porous bones, which is due to the gradual demineralisation. In addition to the natural ageing process, there are other diseases that can accelerate the demineralization process.

Women are more prone to demineralisation, and after the age of 40, they should take extra precaution to slow down the onset of the condition. The following are some ways to improve bone health and halt osteoporosis in the long run-

Diet: Ensure that your diet has sufficient amounts of vitamin D and calcium. Though calcium is the essential mineral for bone formation, vitamin D is required for the absorption of calcium, and therefore both these elements play a vital role in maintaining the quality of the bones in our body. Most people require about 1,000 mg of calcium and about 500 units of vitamin D for optimal bone health. This requirement goes up slightly in postmenopausal women.

Sun Exposure: In most people, exposure to the sun allows the body to make vitamin D, but careful sun protection prevents this from happening. Also, with age, the body s ability to form intrinsic vitamin D also declines. The body, therefore, relies on supplements. Most dairy products are good sources of calcium. In addition, spinach, salmon, turnips, and broccoli are some calcium-rich foods. Supplements of calcium carbonate or calcium citrate can be taken if your diet is lacking in calcium. Vitamin D also should be included in the supplementation. The treatment for osteoporosis is incomplete without these two supplements.

Exercise With Weights: The constructive tension that exercise puts on the body helps in bone building, whatever the age may be, which prevents the onset of osteoporosis. Any exercise which improves muscle mass strengthens the bones, and puts stress on the bones is advisable. Since the fractured area due to osteoporosis mainly includes the spine, lower back exercises, yoga, tai chi, and abdominal exercises all work wonders. Pick any of these and do them for 30 minutes three times a week.

Quit Smoking: Continuing to smoke while taking osteoporosis medications is completely useless. Nicotine negates all the effects which defeat the purpose of taking the medication and is as good as taking no medication at all. So if you want the bone thinning to stop, stop smoking.

Alcohol Consumption: While a drink or two per week is permissible, more than this can harm the bones significantly.

Constant Health Watch: Talk to your doctor about how other routine medications (if any) can affect your bone health. Also, identify how frequently you should check your bone mineral density and stick to the schedule.

Bone health and osteoporosis can be managed with some conscious efforts.

Bone Health And Osteoporosis - Know More About Them!

If you are the on the wrong side of your fifties, then you will know the importance of regular checkups to the orthopedist. Aging related physical changes such as greying hair and wrinkles are a few things that you can cope with easily, however, when it comes to the health of your bones and muscles, you need to be very careful. You need to be particular about being active, as it can help reverse or reduce the risks of most of the bone disorders that you may suffer from. Ageing affects both the muscles and bones, but not always in the same manner. So, it is important that you understand how each is affected by ageing.

Changes in your muscles due to aging
As you age, your muscles tend to lose strength and size. This can make you prone to fatigue, weakness and a decrease in your tolerance levels to exercise. The various factors that play a role in this are:

Modifications in your nervous system can impair the ability of the muscle to contract.
The muscle fibers in the body reduce both in size and number.
The replacement rate of the muscle tissue in the body falls.
Changes in your bones due to aging
Ageing impacts the structure of the bone and leads to a loss of the bone tissue. Aging causes low bone mass, thus rendering them weak. This means a simple fall can have a serious effect on your bones.
The various causes that can bring about these changes are:

Loss of vital minerals such as calcium
Being physically inactive
Undergoing hormonal changes in the body such as menopause, wherein the body loses minerals from the bone tissues. In case of men, progressive decline of sex hormones can lead to changes in the bone structure.
Common conditions that affect your musculoskeletal system in your old age:

Osteoporosis: This disorder results from a loss of bone density resulting in fragile bones. This makes the bones highly susceptible to fractures and breakage.
Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune disorder that usually develops after the age of 40; here, the immune system of the body attacks the body tissues, thus leading to inflammation in your joints.
Osteoarthritis: It is a disorder of the joints which is caused by deterioration of the cartilage that cushions the joints.

Old Age - How It Impacts Your Muscles & Bones?

The human body allows for movement through the complex system of bones, muscles and joints. A break in the bone is medically known as a fracture and can be caused by constant stress, pressure or impact. It is common knowledge that with age, the bone strength decreases and incidence of fractures (osteoporotic fracture) increases. Based on the affected bone and impact, different types of fractures are commonly identified as:

Complete: When the breakage of the bone is complete, producing two or more pieces, it is referred to as a complete fracture.
Incomplete: When the breakage is incomplete, where the bone has cracked, but does not break into pieces, it is known as an incomplete fracture.
Another type would be the open or closed fracture:
Open fracture: When the skin is exposed and the bone breaks through this exposed skin, it is known as compound or open fracture.
Simple or closed fracture: The bone breaks, but the skin continuity is maintained. Again, here are different types including hairline, greenstick, oblique, etc.
What is the reason behind a fracture?
A bone will fracture when force is applied to it that is stronger than the bone itself. A key factor in a bone s susceptibility to fracturing is age. Both children and older people are prone to bone fractures. Children s bones are constantly growing and have not reached their full strength. Elderly people have brittle bones with old age and are prone to develop bone diseases, making them susceptible to fractures.

How they are treated?
Splint and pain medications are commonly used. Closed reduction where the fracture is reduced without opening up the tissues and open reduction, where the tissues are opened up are common approaches to managing fractures.

Can they be prevented?
Especially with children and in the elderly, extra precaution should be taken to avoid any kind of injury and fracture.

Develop an exercise routine to strengthen the muscles
Manage weight
Use the right footwear and exercise gear
Watch your medications (avoid sleep inducing ones)
Increase lighting in the room/home to improve clarity of vision for elderly
Make the home/living area fall-proof by reducing clutter, using railing in the bathroom and bedroom, using rubber mat, etc.
While a fall may seem inevitable, taking the above steps can help reduce the incidence and severity of a fall, thereby minimizing damage.

Bone Fracture - Common Types and How They Can be Prevented?

Sports injuries are a common problem, where various types of musculoskeletal injuries can occur during the physical activities. These injuries can either be acute or chronic in nature. In athletes, such injuries can pose as a risk to their careers, which makes it essential for the physicians to provide the most appropriate treatment. It is mandatory to provide a prompt, safe and quick treatment that can restore the athlete s preinjury level of participation in sports.

Various treatment approaches are present for treating sports injuries. The use of intra-lesion blood injection is being made for addressing the musculoskeletal injuries. An easy and minimally invasive method of using concentrated autologous growth factors in treating sports injuries is the use of platelet rich plasma (PRP). It is a fraction of the blood plasma that contains a higher concentration of platelets than normal plasma, along with growth factors.

PRP is used in the treatment of both soft tissue and bone injuries. Growth factors have a positively influencing effect on the healing process of connective tissue components.
There is a huge difference between the anatomy and functions of tendons, ligaments, muscles and joint capsules. Hence, the site of injection of PRP also varies.
The cellular tension in the tissue and the collagen structure is affected after the administration of PRP.
Use of PRP is popular in the treatment of an Achilles tendon. For injecting PRP, an ultrasound scan is done, the site of injection is accurately identified and then PRP is administered.
Proper location of the site of injury and deciding the accurate injection zone prior to the injection of PRP makes it easier to facilitate treatment and eliminate discomfort.
Administration of PRP should be considered secondary to physical therapy and other conservative means of treatment.
Enthesopathy is a discomfort in the area where the attachment of tendons, ligaments and the articular capsule is present. The use of PRP is increasing in the treatment of this condition. It has an inflammatory nature and presents as epicondylitis or capsulitis.
Studies have proved that PRP is an effective alternative to injection of steroids for an anti-inflammatory effect. Steroids majorly provide only symptomatic relief, whereas PRP is more definitive.
PRP has also found an increased use in the area of surgical procedures of knees. It is used to increase the efficiency of the healing grafts placed in the knee during reconstructive surgeries.
For treatment of bone injuries, use of PRP has shown an improved quality and rate of bone healing. Even in cases of an infected injury, PRP aids in healing efficiently.
No known side effects or complications after use of PRP have been observed, which makes it a sought after option in management of sports injuries.


Platelet Rich Plasma In Sports Injuries

Don't wait any longer, manage your Bone Necrosis online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Bone Necrosis - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES