What is amniotic fluid therapy?
Amniotic tissue contains hyaluronic acid (HA); HA is a natural component of normal knee fluid. Hyaluronic acid has natural lubricating and anti-inflammatory properties. This fluid is also known to be rich in beneficial growth factors that can be helpful in joints affected by arthritis and inflammation. Amniotic fluid is typically harvested from healthy donors by a third party. After harvest, the fluid is carefully screened for sterility before being made available for clinical use. This tissue may be used as a solo injection or in combination with certain surgical procedures.
Amniotic Fluid
Who would benefit from Amniotic Fluid Therapy?
The best candidates for amniotic fluid therapy are patients with joint pain associated with mild to moderate joint arthritis. The ideal patient has joint pain but is not quite ready for a surgical procedure. Patients who have failed treatment with other knee injections (cortisone, gel shots) may find this particular therapy most useful. Patients being treated for the management of chronic OA may also benefit from amniotic fluid as a maintenance therapy.
Does obtaining amniotic fluid for use in orthopedic medicine harm the baby or mother?
The manner in which amniotic fluid is collected for use in orthopedic medicine does not harm the baby or the mother. Therapeutic amniotic fluid used is obtained after a healthy baby is born or after a full-term caesarean section. This fluid used to be considered medical waste; in many cases this fluid can be utilized in orthopedic medicine. Amniotic fluid is only collected after the birth mother has given consent. The fluid is then processed, screened, sterilized, and finally frozen for future use.
Studies Supporting Adipose Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells:
Knee Joint arthritis:
Farr et al. J Knee Surg. 2019. 32(11):1143-1154.
O’Brien et al Arthroscopy. 2019. 35(8):2421-2433.
Vines et al. J Knee Surg. 2016. 29(6):443-50.
For more information about amniotic fluid therapy and how orthopedic conditions can be treated with innovative regenerative biologic medicine, please contact the office of Riley J. Williams, MD, orthopedic knee surgeon serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, New York City, NY and surrounding areas.
Locations
610 W 58th Street
New York, NY 10019
148 39th Street, 7th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11232
Office Hours
Monday-Friday: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Fax: 212-774-2895
