This is “Where Things Grow Back!”

Posted on January 16, 2011 by Wellington Chen, M.D.

 

Prolotherapy & Platelet Rich Plasma with

John Lieurance, D.C. & Wellington Chen, M.D.

& the Gecko Team.

Years of experience and training in the field of regenerative injections are why you might choose these too physicians as your doctors for these treatments. Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy or PRP is Prolotherapy using your own blood. Your blood is placed into a machine that looks like a record player. The platelet rich plasma is spun down and this solution is then injected into area’s that are damaged or arthritic.

Click on one of the button’s below to explore videos and information on how Gecko’s Regenerative therapies work on some specific conditions.

Gecko Joint & Spine is Sarasota’s Regenerative Clinic!

Doctor Chen attended Northestern University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Florida, and UF Dept. of Anesthesiology.

Dr. Chen Collecting Bone Marrow

Emergency Medical Work includes: Citrus Memorial Hospital, Inverness, FL, Encino Hospital, Ca (Dir of Emergency Medicine, 1978 – 1983) , Glendale Memorial Hospital, Venice HospitalFlorida , Doctors Hospital, Sarasota Englewood Hospital, Florida, Citrus Memorial Hospital,Crystal River, Florida.

He studied Under the University of Wisconsin as well as with the orthomolecular Institute on both Prolotherapy and Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy. He has been performing Prolotherapy for 6 years and was the first to offer PRP in Sarasota, Florida.

John A. Lieurance, D.C. has been using Musculoskeletal Ultrasound since 1998 and has extensive training through Gulf Coast Ultrasound Institute, American Association of Orthopedic Medicine and the American Osteopathic Association of Prolotherapy Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Lieurance often assists in the diagnosis of the injuries at Gecko Joint and Spine as well as the guidance of the needle when the treatment is injected which aids in the precision of the treatment. Dr. Lieurance and Dr. Chen have been working as a team for 8 years. He attended Parker College of Chiropractic and has a Bachelor in Anatomy from the University of the State of New York. He received his Naturopathic degree in 2001 from St. Lukes School of Medicine.   Dr. Lieurance has a gift for difficult cases where other practitioners have failed. His Chiropractic, Naturopathic and use of Ultrasound gives the center an edge in the treatment of difficult cases. He has been working along side Prolotherapy procedures for 17 years  after his Chiropractic career was saved through prolotherapy in 1997.

“We are commited to offering the finest and most advanced regenerative injection therapies to my patients in a warm, caring and of course most comfortable/ pain free way possible.”

About PRP therapy:

This is a video explaining PRP.

This video shows how ligament damage can often be the cause of chronic neck pain.

Watch this video on PRP regenerating Cartilage.


 

Posted in Back Pain, Knee pain, neck pain, Platelet Rich Plasma, Prolotherapy, TMJ | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dr. John Lieurance studies with Dr. Stephen F. Badylak on Regenerative Orthopedics

Posted on April 28, 2013 by admin

Stephen F. Badylak DVM, PhD, MD is a pioneer in Regenerative Medicine.  Dr. John Lieurance of Gecko Joint and Spine, a Clinic in Sarasota Florida who treats patients with stem cells, Acell, and PRP helping patients with osteoarthitis and injuries to there joint and cartilage.

Dr. John Lieurance & Dr. Stephen F. Badylak

Dr. Stephen Badylak, D.V.M., Ph.D., M.D. is a Professor in the Department of Surgery, a deputy director of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine (MIRM), and Director of the Center for Pre-Clinical Tissue Engineering within the Institute.
In 1976, Dr. Badylak received his D.V.M. from Purdue University. He then obtained an M.S. in Clinical Pathology from Purdue University in 1978, a Ph.D. in Anatomic Pathology from Purdue University in 1981 and graduated with highest honors with a M.D. from Indiana University Medical School in 1985.
Dr. Badylak practiced veterinary medicine at a mixed animal practice in Glenwood, Illinois and in Hobart, Indiana. Dr. Badylak began his academic career at Purdue University as an Assistant Research Scholar at the Hillenbrand Biomedical Engineering Center in 1983, and subsequently held a variety of positions including Postdoctoral Research Associate (1985), Associate Research Scholar (1988) and served as the Director of the Hillenbrand Biomedical Engineering Center from 1993-1998. Dr. Badylak served as the Head Team Physician for the Athletic Department for 16 years (1985-2001). Prior to his move to Pittsburgh, Dr. Badylak served as Senior Research Scientist within the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University. Dr. Badylak holds over 50 U.S. patents, 200 patents worldwide, has authored more than 225 scientific publications and 20 book chapters. He has served as the Chair of the Study Section for the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and as chair of the Bioengineering, Technology, and Surgical Sciences (BTSS) Study Section at NIH. Dr. Badylak is now a member of the College of Scientific Reviewers for NIH. Dr. Badylak has either chaired or been a member of the Scientific Advisory Board to several major medical device companies.
Dr. Badylak is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, a charter member of the Tissue Engineering Society International, and currently president of the Tissue Engineering Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS). He is also a member of the Society for Biomaterials and the International Society for Applied Cardiovascular Biology (ISACB). Dr. Badylak is the Associate Editor for Tissue Engineering for the journal Cells, Tissues, Organs, and serves on the editorial board of several other journals. He has received many awards, including the Sigma Xi Scientific Society 2002 Research Award, the Pittsburgh Business Times Hero in Health Care Innovation & Research for 2005, the 2005 and 2008 Carnegie Science Center Award for Excellence, the 2005 Clemson Award from the Society for Biomaterials, and the Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Award in 2008.

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PRP for Spondylolesthesis. Instability of the lumbar spine treated with Platelet Rich Plasma

Posted on April 21, 2013 by admin

This was a story of a PRP treatment for Spondylolesthesis or when the 5th lumbar vertibrea slips on the sacrum which is caused by instability of the ligaments which allow for the spine to move this way. After 1 treatment this condition can be greatly improved as the PRP or Platelet Rich Plasma draws stem cells to the area to heal and strengthen the supporting structures of the spine where the damage is.

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Secondary rotator cuff dysfunction following total shoulder arthroplasty for primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis

Posted on March 31, 2013 by admin

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Secondary rotator cuff dysfunction is a recognized complication following shoulder arthroplasty. We hypothesized that the rate of secondary rotator cuff dysfunction would increase with follow-up and result in less satisfactory clinical and radiographic outcomes. Our aim was to investigate the rate of secondary rotator cuff dysfunction following shoulder arthroplasty for primary osteoarthritis and identify factors associated with the dysfunction.

METHODS:

Between 1991 and 2003, in ten European centers, 704 total shoulder arthroplasties were performed for primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis. Complete radiographic and clinical follow-up of more than five years was available for 518 shoulders. The diagnosis of secondary rotator cuff dysfunction was made when moderate or severe superior subluxation of the prosthetic humeral head was present on radiographs. Multivariate logistic regression identified factors associated with the development of rotator cuff dysfunction. Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis was performed, with the end point being secondary rotator cuff failure. Clinical outcome was assessed with use of the Constant score, a subjective assessment of the shoulder, and an evaluation of shoulder motion.

RESULTS:

At an average of 103.6 months (range, sixty to 219 months) after shoulder arthroplasty, the rate of secondary rotator cuff dysfunction was 16.8%. Survivorship free of secondary cuff dysfunction was 100% at five years, 84% at ten years, and 45% at fifteen years. Duration of follow-up (p < 0.0001), implantation of the glenoid implant with superior tilt (p < 0.001), and fatty infiltration of the infraspinatus muscle (p < 0.05) were risk factors for the development of secondary cuff dysfunction. Patients with secondary rotator cuff dysfunction had significantly worse clinical outcomes (Constant score, subjective assessment, and range of motion; p < 0.0001) and radiographic results (radiolucent line score, radiographic loosening, glenoid component migration; p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS:

In this study, rates of secondary rotator cuff dysfunction with moderate or severe superior subluxation of the prosthetic humeral head increased with the duration of follow-up and significantly influenced the clinical and radiographic outcome of total shoulder arthroplasty performed for primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis. Preoperative fatty infiltration of the infraspinatus muscle and implantation of the glenoid component with superior tilt were prognostic factors. [J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2012]

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Study: Relationships between Pain, Function and Radiographic Findings in Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Posted on March 30, 2013 by admin

20 years ago I was in an automobile accident and had an injury to my lower back. I was having pain running down my leg. I went to an MD who prescribed an MRI and the MRI showed I had a herniation in L5/S1 level. He then sent me to an orthopedic surgeon and the surgeon looked at the MRI and told me I would need surgery when it got bad enough. Shortly after I met my first prolotherapist. He was a friend and a recent grad from osteopathic college. He wasn’t so interested in the MRI but more so on the function and quality of the ligaments. He was the first doctor to actually touch my spine.  He mixed lidocaine with dextrose, which was a common substance that is used for prolotherapy and injected my ligaments in my spine. The pain was relieved and it marked the beginning of my journey in regenerative therapy.  I tell this story in my lectures often as it is important for folks to understand that the MRI is not the end all be all. Many times we see patients in our office that have been improperly diagnosed. A lidocaine challenge is often used to determine the pain producing tissue in our office. As the ultrasound technitian at our clinic I am using a high definition ultrasound machine to see where the damage is and to guide injections for Dr. Chen. Whats nice about the US image is that it shows dynamic studies. Meaning I can see joints and tissues as they move. Also it shows inflammation which MRI does not. The below study clearly demonstates what I’m speaking about.

John Lieurance, DC, ND

Arthritis
Clinical Study
Relationships between Pain, Function and Radiographic Findings in Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between pain, disability, and radiographic findings in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Patients and Methods. A total of 114 patients with knee OA who attended the physical medicine and rehabilitation outpatient clinic were included in this study. Conclusions. Knee pain, stiffness, and duration of disease may affect the level of disability in the patients with knee OA. Therefore treatment of knee OA could be planned according to the clinical features and functional status instead of radiological findings.

In this cross-sectional study we investigated if there was any association between pain, disability, and radiographic features in patients with knee OA. Our results demonstrated that age and disease duration were found to be positively associated with Kellgren-Lawrence grading scale. Also disability scores were significantly associated with pain and stiffness scores as measured by WOMAC. However, we could not establish an association between Kellgren-Lawrence grading scale and WOMAC subscores.

This means we could not correlate MRI finding to functional findings in these patients.

 

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Join us for an informative webinar April 18th at 6:10 pm.

Posted on March 29, 2013 by admin

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Clinical and MRI Outcomes After Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis.

Posted on March 29, 2013 by admin

Here is another study showing PRP or Platelet rich plasma is effective in osteoarthritis of the knee. We have been using PRP for OA of the knee for 5 years now successfully so this doesn’t tell us anything we don’t already know. 22 people with early OA where injected with 6cc’s of PRP only ONCE! Even though there wasn’t any MRI changes in 1 year, their pain score and functional score was “significantly improved”. We have been using our super concentrated PRP which is spun down from 2-4 times the blood volume than standard PRP kits and we also use a pure process where we clean out almost all the RBC’s and neutriphils which makes our system much more chondrogenic than other systems. This along with the honey matrix which is a concentration of plasma making it an ideal scaffolding to create cartilage. By taking the water out of the plasma before it is mixed with the platelets you have a much more advanced product than what was used in this study.

ABSTRACT:: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether platelet-rich plasma therapy for early knee osteoarthritis is associated with good clinical outcomes and a change in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) structural appearances. The design was a prospective cohort study following patients 1 year after platelet-rich plasma therapy for knee osteoarthritis. Twenty-two patients were treated with platelet-rich plasma for early osteoarthritis, confirmed with a baseline MRI. Inclusion criteria were Kellgren grade 0-II with knee pain in patients aged 30 to 70 years. All the patients received a 6-mL platelet-rich plasma injection using the Cascade system. Fifteen subjects underwent clinical assessments at baseline, 1 week, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, and MRIs at 1 year. Pain scores significantly decreased, whereas functional and clinical scores increased at 6 months and 1 year from baseline. Qualitative MRIs demonstrated no change per compartment in at least 73% of cases at 1 year.

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Therapeutic effects of pulsed magnetic fields on joint diseases.

Posted on March 29, 2013 by admin

Therapeutic effects of pulsed magnetic fields on joint diseases.
Riva Sanseverino E, Vannini A, Castellacci P.
Source
Università di Bologna, Italy.
Abstract
The present paper describes the effects of pulsed magnetic fields (MF) on diseases of different joints, in chronic as well as acute conditions where the presence of a phlogistic process is the rule. Optimal parameters for MF applications were sought at the beginning of the study and then applied for 11 years; a technical modification in the MF generator was introduced 5 years ago to satisfy the requirement of a hypothesis advanced to understand the mechanism of MF treatment. 3,014 patients were treated by means of MF at extremely low frequencies and intensities. Patient follow-up was pursued as constantly as possible. Pain removal, recovery of joint mobility and maintenance of the improved conditions represented the parameters for judging the results as good or poor. The chi-square test was applied in order to evaluate the probability that the results are not casual. A general average value of 78.8% of good results and 21.2% of poor results was obtained. Higher (82%) percentages of good results were observed when single joint diseases were considered with respect to multiple joint diseases (polyarthrosis); in the latter, the percentage of good results was definitely lower (66%). The high percentage of good results obtained and the absolute absence of both negative results and undesired side-effects, together with the therapeutic advantage due to a technical modification in the MF generator, led to the conclusion that magnetic field treatment is an excellent physical therapy in cases of joint diseases. A hypothesis is advanced that external magnetic fields influence transmembrane ionic activity.

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Sign Up for the FREE 7 Secrets to Getting the Most From Regenerative Therapies.

Posted on March 27, 2013 by admin


Email Marketing You Can Trust

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PRP to the Ankle joint and my ability to hike again.

Posted on March 14, 2013 by admin

We use platelet rich plasma therapy to regenerate damaged joints, muscles, cartilage, tendons and bone. This was a torn perennial muscle and without surgery his meniscus was repaired using prp in Sarasota Florida. PRP is an alternative to surgery also effective for osteoarthritis of the ankle joint.

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PRP to the TMJ.

Posted on March 11, 2013 by admin

TMJ Temporomandibular Joint treated with Blood Injection

A new article was published proving efficacy of Autologous blood ( using the patient’s own blood) for treatment of TMJ at 1 year follow up.  80% of patients had significant improvements when treated with Autologous blood.

Ultimately we may find that Platelet Rich Plasma offers the most healing potential in TMJ  dysfunction by delivering potent growth factors to accelerate healing.

Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Autologous Blood Treatment

TMJ TMJ Temporomandibular Joint treated with Blood Injection

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