Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC)

at Peak Orthopedics and Spine“Better techniques, Better results”

BMC Stem Cell Procedure

A Highly Concentrated Bone Marrow Concentrate - Stem Cell Preparation

What is Bone Marrow Concentrate: BMC?

Bone marrow is a robust source of stem cells in the body. In fact, there are many immature cell types and growth factors contained within bone marrow. One of the most important contents within bone marrow are Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC’s). MSC’s are the cells responsible for maintenance and repair of musculoskeletal tissues by regulating inflammation and promoting blood flow. These immature cells can ultimately differentiate and divide into bone, cartilage and tendon cells. Many orthopedic injuries and degenerative conditions are the result of the bodies inability to get enough stem cells and growth factors to a damaged structure to effectively repair itself. The goal of a BMC procedure is to precisely inject an abundance of extra stem cells and growth factors into an area of injury to amplify the bodies repair and healing process. In order to obtain the highest possible number of stem cells to treat a patients’ condition, this bone marrow is concentrated (BMC) in a specialized centrifuge system prior to injection.

How is BMC obtained?

Bone marrow is obtained by performing an aspiration on the backside of the pelvis. This is done by a short office-based procedure in which the iliac crest (back of the pelvic bone) is numbed using a local anesthetic and a needle is introduced into the bone marrow space. Then, several small portions of marrow are aspirated in order to sample various portions of the bone marrow. The bone marrow sample is then transported sterile into an advanced centrifuge system where it is processed into a highly concentrated final stem cell product.

What about other sources of Stem Cells?

The most common sources of live stem cells used for cell-based therapies are Bone Marrow and Adipose (fat) tissue. Both are comparable in their stem cell content, however the barrier to using fat tissue is that many scientists and experts believe it violates the FDA’s guidance on use of Human Cell, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue Based Products (HCT/Ps). Unlike adipose, it is well understood that bone marrow MSC’s play an integral role in the maintenance and healing of injury to muscle, bone, cartilage, tendon and ligament, thus it is compliant with FDA “homologous use” criteria. Thus, bone marrow is our preferred source of stem cells when it comes to cellular based treatments for orthopedics.

What about Birth Tissue Stem Cells?

Another common misconception is regarding the use of allogeneic stem cells. These types of cell preparations come from another person. Most commonly these donor products come from birth waste tissues such as umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid, Wharton’s jelly, placenta and exosomes. Unfortunately, several peer reviewed studies have demonstrated that these commonly sold birth tissue products contain no living and viable stem cells by the time they are used in the clinic or procedure setting. In many cases, these are illegally marketed products and the FDA has repeatedly warned against their use. In addition, these tissue preparations carry a bacterial contamination risk, and as such, the CDC issued a warning regarding the safety of these products in 2019.

What is the evidence for BMC?

At IOC we believe that it is crucial for physicians and patients to understand the difference between evidence-based cell therapies and unproven “stem cell” therapies. Many clinics offer a wide range of cell-based therapies for a variety of untreatable conditions, before necessary safety and efficacy studies have been completed. This is dangerous for both the clinician and the patient. Therefore, we believe that in order to responsibly deliver emerging treatment methods to our patients, we must adhere to strict ethical standards and educate patients on the proven uses of stem cell in orthopedics and the limitations.

Bone marrow tissue has been used as a cell source in Orthopedics for more than 20 years. It was first used to treat non – healing fractures and showed convincing success in treating avascular necrosis in the early 2000s. Since then, its safety and efficacy for specific orthopedic conditions has been well established.

Several high-quality clinical trials have been published using BMC cell therapies for:

• Knee and other joint osteoarthritis
• Tendinopathy
• Partial tendon tears
• Partial ligament tears
• Bone injuries
• Lumbar disc tears
• Avascular necrosis
• Non-union fractures
• Improving reconstructive surgical outcomes

IOC differences:

Unlike many common bone marrow stem cell products available, IOC BMC is prepared with an advanced centrifuge system which allows for several key advantages:

• Higher stem cell concentration:
  • In order to achieve highest possible numbers of stem cells your doctor utilizes an advanced bone marrow aspiration technique in addition to an advanced centrifuge system which obtains higher stem cell yields.
• An individualized treatment:
  • Based on your age, type of injury, and severity, we will customize a BMC preparation best suited for your particular condition.
  • Often, we can treat multiple joints in the same procedure.
• Advanced Image Guidance:
  • All stem cell procedures are performed using fluoroscopy (Xray), ultrasound, or a combination of both.
  • This insures accurate placement of the cell injection into the exact area of damage.

For more info or to schedule a consult, contact:

Peak Orthopedics and Spine (a division of Orthopedic Centers of Colorado)
or visit www.peakorthopedics.com

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