Our Services / Orthobiologics

Stimulating the body’s own healing mechanisms can offer long-term relief from pain. At Mercer-Bucks Orthopaedics (MBO) with offices in Hamilton, Lawrenceville, and Princeton, New Jersey, and Langhorne, Pennsylvania, the orthopaedic specialists offer orthobiologics, such as platelet-rich plasma, prolotherapy, and stem cell injections to repair the damage without surgery or medication. Call MBO or schedule an appointment online today to learn more.

What are orthobiologics?

Orthobiologics are substances that can stimulate healing within your body. Many types of orthobiologics use materials in your own body to repair damage without medication, surgery, or unwanted side effects. By triggering the body’s natural healing process, orthobiologics can be a long-term solution for pain relief.

How do orthobiologics work?

Many factors support the natural healing process. In addition to healthy blood flow at the injury site, the body needs orthobiologic substances to repair damage. These orthobiologic materials include:

Growth factors

Growth factors are typically proteins that help regulate the healing process. While some accelerate healing, others aim to control and improve function in the body.

What are the different types of orthobiologics?

Mercer Bucks Orthopaedics (MBO) offers 3 popular types of orthobiologics:

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections

PRP injections aim to use the body’s own platelets and stem cells to induce faster healing rates. During the treatment, the physician will withdraw your blood, put the blood into a centrifuge where the platelets are extracted (platelets release healing proteins know as growth factors) and then inject the solution directly to the injured site using an ultrasound guided technique to ensure proper placement. These proteins then stimulate repair and regeneration at the site, offering the patient pain relief and quicker healing.

The commonly injected areas are:

• Achilles tendon
• Plantar fascia
• Medial
• Lateral epicondylitis
• Peroneal tendon
• Hamstring tendon
• Greater troch (gluteus medius and minimus)
• Rotator cuff

Prolotherapy

The goal of prolotherapy is to strengthen joints, ligaments, and tendons weakened by trauma or arthritis. Prolotherapy stimulates your body’s healing mechanism to restore normal function in damaged areas. Prolotherapy uses a dextrose (sugar water) solution, which the physician injects into the ligament or tendon using an ultrasound-guided technique. 

These injections cause inflammation in these weakened areas, which increases the blood supply and flow of nutrients to this area, allowing for tissue growth and strengthening the ligaments and tendons.

The conditions commonly treated by prolotherapy are: 

• Arthritis
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Knee Pain
• Back Pain
• Compression Fractures
• Herniated Discs
• Tennis Elbow
• Foot and Ankle Conditions
• Shoulder Pain
• Rotator Cuff Tendonitis

Stem cell therapy

All specialized cells in the body develop from stem cells. These cells are unique because they can turn into various cell types, which is helpful when repairing bones and soft tissue damage.

Stem cells are retrieved from one’s own bone marrow or fat tissue. The stem cells are then injected into the injured site, where they promote the healing of the injured or degenerative tissue.

Stem cell therapy treats: 

• Osteoarthritis
• Non-Union Fractures
• Cartilage defects
• Osteonecrosis
• Avascular necrosis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Meniscus Tear
• Tendinopathies

These procedures are FDA cleared but not FDA approved and therefore are not likely covered by your insurance plan.

What can orthobiologics treat?

Orthobiologics can treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions, including:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Tendonitis
• Bone fractures
• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Knee pain
• Muscle strain
• Tennis or golfer’s elbow

Orthobiologics are safe, effective, and minimally invasive. As cutting-edge alternatives to traditional orthopaedic treatments, orthobiologics allow your body to heal on its own.

To learn more about orthobiologics, call Mercer-Bucks Orthopaedics or schedule an appointment online today.