Mayo Clinic Study Shows Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC) Reduced Re-tear Rates 3x
There is mounting data that BMC works to help patients avoid shoulder surgery in the first place; or, when surgery is needed, BMC can help to make that surgery a long-term success.
What is a Rotator Cuff Injury?
Dull, aching shoulder pain, trouble rotating the shoulder, and trouble sleeping because of shoulder pain are all signs of a rotator cuff tear.
The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint, meaning that the shoulder is able to move quite freely, including movements of rotation. The rotator cuff (not “rotator cup,” as some patients often say) is a group of muscles and tendons around the shoulder that holds the arm bone in place during shoulder movement (1). These muscles or tendons can tear as a result of a traumatic injury, such as a fall, but more often, as a result of wear and tear caused by repetitive movement over time (1). Those who are older, or those who work jobs that require frequent shoulder movement or heavy lifting, are at risk. Symptoms of a rotator cuff injury may include arm weakness, a dull aching pain in the shoulder, worsened pain at night, and difficulty performing actions such as reaching behind your back (1). It is important to see a doctor soon if these symptoms are present.
Pros and Cons of Rotator Cuff Surgery and Re-tear Risk
In the event of a full rotator cuff tear, tendon is ripped away from bone. Surgical approaches to healing usually aim to reattach the torn tendon to the humerus bone. The surgical method can be relatively successful, but it can often come with post-surgery complications (2). Surgery is invasive, and recovery time is long – it can take anywhere from four to twelve months, depending on the size of the tear, to fully recover (2). The issue of re-tearing, as well, is always a concern. One study shows a re-tear rate of 21% at a follow-up of 12-24 months after surgery (3).
Regenerative Care Options
An alternative to surgery for rotator cuff tear treatment is a BMC, bone marrow concentrate procedure. BMC is a concentrate of regenerative cells that is sourced from the patient’s own body (6). During a Regenexx-SD bone marrow concentrate treatment, a physician extracts bone marrow from the patient’s hip bone, spins the sample in a centrifuge to create a sample highly concentrated with the patient’s own live stem cells, and then re-injects the solution into the patient’s injured area, using precise imaging guidance (6).
Mayo Clinic Study, Surgery vs. BMC
Regenerative BMC procedures work to help patients avoid invasive rotator cuff surgery, or perhaps, in cases of more extreme tears, can work alongside surgery to prevent re-tearing (4).
A study performed by Mayo Clinic showed just that in its presentation of positive results for BMC treatment. A sample of patients who underwent rotator cuff repair surgery and received regenerative BMC injections were compared to a sample of patients who underwent rotator cuff repair surgery and did not receive additional regenerative treatment (5). Orthopedic surgeon Bradley Schoch, M.D., reports,
“The data we analyzed suggested a nearly threefold reduction in revision surgery in patients who received bone marrow aspirate concentrate, compared to those who did not” (5). The real world evidence from this Mayo Clinic study suggests that patients in need of rotator cuff repair surgery can benefit from BMC procedures, or BMC treatment in addition to surgery (5).
Patient Outcomes
Regenexx maintains a database of procedure outcomes. Over 2,440 shoulder procedures have been tracked.
The above chart shows “After treatment, how much better are patient’s shoulder conditions?”
Patients feel their joints are, on average, already 28% better after only 1-month, and continue to improve from there (6).
In other outcomes measurements patients who receive Regenexx-SD BMC treatment for shoulder pain report, on average, 65% of optimal shoulder function before treatment, and 87% of shoulder function after treatment (6). In terms of shoulder pain, patients identify a 35% decrease in shoulder pain one month after the treatment, according to the Numeric Pain Scale (NPS) (6).
If you believe you have a torn rotator cuff and would like to seek regenerative treatment, find out today if you are a candidate for Regenexx-SD procedures –Tap the “TALK TO AN EXPERT” BUTTON below.
SOURCES:
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rotator-cuff-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20350225
- https://www.hss.edu/conditions_torn-rotator-cuff-surgery.asp
- https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12891-021-04634-6
- https://regenexx.com/blog/is-bone-marrow-concentrate-a-shoulder-rotator-cuff-fixer/
- https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/real-world-evidence-study-of-regenerative-medicine-and-shoulder-surgery/
- https://regenexxpittsburgh.com/regenexx-shoulder/
