Thumb Surgery Alternative: Thumb Surgery Recovery vs. an Injection for Arthritis

thumb surgery recovery

How does the thumb surgery alternative of an injection of super concentrated platelets into the thumb joint compare with thumb surgery recovery? For starters, the thumb surgery alternative involves an injection which has minimal recovery time while thumb surgery recovery takes months. CN is a 77 year old man with a long history of left thumb pain after a fall. He was first evaluated by our clinic in September of 2010. He was treated with SCP (Super Concentrated Platelets) with three injections from September 2010 through March of 2011. His CMC joint was injected as well as the surrounding ligaments, all with high accuracy using ultrasound guidance of all injections. Now at 22 months out from his last injection he reports 90% improvement. The upshot? Thumb surgery for CMC arthritis is a big operation, one where usually a tendon is taken from the forearm and coiled up and used as a substitute for cartilage in the joint. So what’s easier, a big surgery or an injection of your own platelets with a tiny needle?

NOTE: Regenexx-SCP is a medical procedure and like all medical procedures has a success and failure rate.  A 90% improvement is not neccessarily the result that every patient will experience.

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Chris Centeno, MD is a specialist in regenerative medicine and the new field of Interventional Orthopedics. Centeno pioneered orthopedic stem cell procedures in 2005 and is responsible for a large amount of the published research on stem cell use for orthopedic applications. View Profile

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NOTE: This blog post provides general information to help the reader better understand regenerative medicine, musculoskeletal health, and related subjects. All content provided in this blog, website, or any linked materials, including text, graphics, images, patient profiles, outcomes, and information, are not intended and should not be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please always consult with a professional and certified healthcare provider to discuss if a treatment is right for you.

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