Special Announcement - Now Screening for FDA Approved Stem Cell Study
Dr. Mitchell Sheinkop has completed training and is credentialed for an FDA-approved stem cell clinical trial for knee arthritis. Our clinic is now screening patients for this trial. Contact us at 312-475-1893 for details. Click here to learn more.
Superbowl Winner Emerges; Eight-Month Long Physical Demolition Derby Comes to an End

Superbowl Winner Emerges; Eight-Month Long Physical Demolition Derby Comes to an End

On Monday, the annual migration for attempts at the physical Restoration and Regeneration of the NFL players injured bodies began. While in the past, the losers would chant “wait ‘til next year”; very soon, the NFL winners and losers alike will take flight to Orthopedic Surgeons around the USA and world, on occasion, some will even find their way to my office, seeking both operative and non-operative repair of the injuries incurred over the last eight months. What I will offer is Regenerative and Restorative initiatives using either the patient’s bone marrow, circulating blood or body fat. While I use a needle and not a knife in my practice, at times it takes arthroscopy and open surgical procedures to assist the athlete in returning to play or extending a career.  The fall NFL 2019 schedule is already on line; there is a sense of urgency. These attempts at restoring and regenerating anatomic and physical well-being are not limited to the professional football player. To the best of my recollection, it was Tiger Woods in 2008, who brought regenerative medicine to the attention of the American public. When in 2011, Kobe Bryant traveled to Dusseldorf, Germany for a highly publicized orthobiologic treatment of his arthritic knee, returning to play for another six seasons, he was soon after followed by the professional golfer Fred Couples, baseball player Alex Rodriguez, and NFL star Payton Manning. All returned to their respective sport and extended playing careers; many more have followed. Now Cellular Orthopedics, Regenerative Medicine and Joint Restoration are available around our country as well as at my office for professional, college, high school, amateur athletes and fitness enthusiasts of any age.  

Orthobiologics and Cellular Orthopedics are a dynamic approach to body injury and arthritis using the individual’s own (autologous) platelets, molecules and proteins circulating in the blood (Cytokines and Growth factors), adipose tissue, or bone marrow to effect healing and eliminate pain. At this time, it is FDA Compliant to use such in the care and treatment of injury and arthritis as long as that which is to be used has been harvested from the patient herself or himself, not cultured or expanded, and not treated with additional agents. The successes are no longer merely anecdotal; there is an ever-increasing body of scientific evidence to validate the emerging discipline of Cellular Orthopedics. For instance, in my office, I integrate patient care with documenting outcomes and that has led to several recent scientific publications contributing to an evidence-based orthobiologics practice. You may find those publications and more at my web site  www.sheinkopmd.com.  To schedule a consultation call (312) 475-1893.

There is a way of still being an athlete and significantly reducing your risk of injury, take up esports. Marquette University is adding varsity esports, a competitive video gaming team in the fall of 2019. The team will have tryouts, coaches and regular practices just like any intercollegiate sport

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Cellular Orthopedics: How long will it take to enjoy the benefits?

How long will the benefits last?

Yesterday, an individual presented in the office on a professional matter for a scheduled business meeting and during our discussions, related that he had undergone right hip arthroscopy, eight weeks earlier. He had an antalgic (painful) gait while walking into the meeting room so I discussed the rationale for undergoing a Platelet Rich Plasma concentrate/Growth Factor Concentrate intervention when he returned to his home base. The individual elected to become my patient on the spot so I performed a physical assessment and noted asymmetrical hip motion with limitation on the right side. His pre-arthroscopic diagnosis was a torn acetabular labrum. In 45 minutes, my team had drawn his blood and prepared the concentrated injectate followed by my completing an ultrasound guided intraarticular right hip injection. Within five minutes, his inability to fully spread his legs, flex and extend his hip, and tolerate internal and external rotation had been corrected. This is not an infrequent observation following a Cellular Orthopedic intervention to the hip; yet I have no explanation for the immediate pain relief and return of joint function. He left the office with almost no discernable limp.

This past Monday, the office received this communication from a patient who began treatment with Bone Marrow Concentrate to her knees about four years ago; returning on several occasions until she reached maximum medial improvement at 18 months post intervention.

“I wanted to write to you and Dr Sheinkop to congratulate you on the published study in the Journal of Translational Medicine in which I was a participant. It is really satisfying to see that results finally in print.  I want to thank you both for allowing me to participate, even though I was outside of the Chicago area. 

Just to follow up, my knees have been doing really well for the past year. I enjoyed a long summer of bicycling, including regular 20-30 mile rides as well as a 40 and 50-mile ride, without significant pain. I also have been able to use the elliptical pain free and just in the past two weeks I started running on the treadmill (alternating one minute of running & walking for about 20-25 minutes on a 4% incline). I’m starting really slow -but I never thought I would be able to run relatively pain-free again”.

There is no way of predicting how soon and for how long a cellular orthopedic intervention will have an effect. Our ongoing outcomes observations for over six years may eventually help answer the question; but in the meantime, we ask our patients to return periodically so we may learn from them and intervene if needed.

To learn how you may benefit from a Cellular Orthopedic intervention schedule a consultation by calling (847)-390-7666.  My web site is at www.sheinkopmd.com.

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Osteoarthritis of the hip

Osteoarthritis of the hip

Hip osteoarthritis (OA) exerts a significant burden on society, affecting 3% of Americans aged >30 years. Recent advances in the understanding of the pathoanatomy and pathomechanics of the hip have led to treatment options for young adults with hip pain. Femoroacetabular impingement, specifically cam-type femoroacetabular impingement, hip dysplasia, and the sequelae of pediatric hip disease can predispose the hip to early OA. However, many patients with abnormal anatomic findings do not develop early OA, suggesting that there exist other patient characteristics that are protective despite abnormal bony anatomy. Outcome studies show that arthroscopic and open hip procedures improve pain and function in patients with symptomatic hips. However, there is currently limited evidence that these procedures extend the life of the patient’s natural hip. Additional studies are needed to determine protective or adaptive factors in patients with abnormal anatomy who do not develop early OA and to determine whether joint preserving hip surgery extends the life of the native hip joint.

Review Article:Natural History of Structural Hip Abnormalities and the Potential for Hip Preservation
James D. Wylie, Christopher L. Peters, Stephen Kenji Aoki

What makes the article so interesting to me is first, I played a role in training one of the authors in my earlier academic career. More important is the role I am now playing in helping to preserve the life of the hip joint with a needle instead of a knife and extending the life of the “native hip joint”. The latter is done via Cellular Orthopedics. By introducing Stem Cells, Platelets, Precursor Cells, and Growth Factors, I am now able to address arthritis at a Bio-Immune level, possibly regenerate cartilage, potentially influence healing of the torn acetabular labrum, certainly reverse the secondary inflammation and thereby diminish pain and improve function in the abnormal hip joint.

It takes an evaluation in my office including the history, a physical examination and my review of your hip images after which I am able to customize the Cellular Orthopedic intervention that will help with joint preservation and potentially, joint regeneration. Our Outcomes studies continue and it is the result of ongoing data collection that allows me to extend the life of your native hip. Call (312) 475 1893 to schedule a consultation. You may visit my web site at www.sheinkopmd.com

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I don’t treat an image, I treat the patient

Just as I cringe when a new patient announces that they have “bone on bone”, so too do I squirm when I am told by a patient “I have a torn” at times meniscus or cartilage; others, a torn rotator cuff; and then again, a torn labrum. Attention please, your X-ray or MRI image is not causing pain, the inflammation in or around your joint is the pain generator. 95% of the population over age 45 will have an abnormality interpreted by the radiologist on the report their MRI, be it of the shoulder, hip or knee. Cartilage and meniscal changes at the knee, labral tears at the hip or shoulder, and rotator cuff abnormalities are part of the attritional process; alternatively, these changes are commonly over diagnosed.

Last week, a 70-year-old woman called to schedule an appointment and indicated that she had a torn acetabular(hip) labrum diagnosed on a recent MRI. I responded, “your pain generator is arthritis unless you are a hockey goalie”. I was being a bit facetious but at the same time truthful. My 37-year experience as a reconstructive orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacement really prepared me for this life after surgery; namely, a cellular orthopedic interventionalist.

It takes a history and hands on physical examination prior to review of images to determine what is causing a painful musculoskeletal condition. The common denominator is inflammation, not a computer image. In the case of arthritis, unless the cartilage (meniscus), labrum or rotator cuff alteration is generating mechanical problems such as weakness, locking, “clunking” or giving way, we frequently need not address the former with a maximally invasive surgical procedure; a needle will suffice and deliver the platelets, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Growth Factors and precursor cells required to address pain, improve function, increase motion, stop progression of arthritis and restore, at times regenerate the joint.

Cellular Orthopedics encompasses a full joint Preservation, Restoration and Regenerative scope of options. The notion introduced by a print media ad, that it is “one and done”, won’t help you postpone, perhaps avoid a joint replacement. In my practice, we monitor progress and intervene when necessary at five months or five years if indicated.

To learn more, visit my web site at www.SheinkopMD.com or call and schedule a consultation at (312) 475-1893

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An exclusive interview with Interventional Orthopedic Surgical pioneer Mitchell Sheinkop, MD, (continued)

An exclusive interview with Interventional Orthopedic Surgical pioneer Mitchell Sheinkop, MD, (continued)

Blog: Dr. Sheinkop , let’s pick up where we ended at the last interview. You were going to tell us about the hip labrum?

Sheinkop: Recently, there has been an increased frequency of diagnosis pertaining to an acetabular labral tear when a patient presents to a physician with groin pain. The cause may be attributed to trauma or it may be spontaneous in nature. While only an orthopedic surgeon really understands how to properly examine the hip joint, I am observing the next step in every and all patients with “hip” or “groin” pain is an MRI prescription. While a torn acetabular labrum is best diagnosed on the MRI after arthrogram, even that exercise may not result in a proper diagnosis. There are anatomic variants that are frequently mistakenly diagnosed as a tear and there are positive findings for a labral tear that when surgically addressed do not result in clinical improvement. In general, unless there are mechanical signs such as snapping, clunking or giving way, pain alone is not justification for arthroscopic hip surgery. In the presence of arthritis, arthroscopy is almost never indicated in the new world of evidence based medicine.

Blog: If I am not mistaken, the way you responded to the labral question is how you have responded in the past to a “positive” MRI of the knee and a diagnosis of a torn meniscus (cartilage).

Sheinkop: You are correct. The scientific evidence clearly identifies the fact that a pain generator must be identified before a surgical procedure. Even if the MRI is compatible with a torn labrum or meniscus, in the presence of arthritis, arthroscopic surgery will make things worse over six months. Surgery in said circumstances should be reserved for mechanical symptoms and not pain.

Blog: Then what is a patient with pain in the groin or knee to do?

Sheinkop: First and foremost, my job is to identify the cause of the pain and treat the patient, not the image. In the absence of clunking, snapping and giving way (joint instability), Interventional Orthopedics based on Platelet Rich Plasma and Bone Marrow Aspirate derived stem cells and growth factors provide the surgical alternative-remember the needle and not the knife.

Blog: I learned this week that you have been invited to St. Petersburg, Russia, this September to present non surgical alternatives for arthritis, at an international orthopedic meeting focused on joint replacement.

Sheinkop: Your information is correct. The role for Interventional and Cellular orthopedics, basically regenerative medicine, is in grades two and three osteoarthritis; while a patient is quite functional and not yet sufficiently impaired to justify the risks inherent in a joint replacement. On the other hand, there is a large patient population with advanced osteoarthritis of a major joint wherein the joint replacement option is to great a medical challenge and may risk survival. The evidence I have gathered over almost five years is not only of interest in the United States but has global potential impact.

To learn more call (312) 475-1893 to schedule a consultation
View my web site at www.sheinkopmd.com
Watch my webinar at www.ilcellulartherapy.com

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