Close

Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL

WHAT IS REGENERATIVE MEDICINE?

Regenerative Medicine is the process of replacing, engineering or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function.  This is a fairly broad category, but Colorado Stem Cell Center specifically employs Regenerative Medicine procedures to re-establish normal joint function and address soft tissue damage. These procedures typically entail the removal of tissue or blood, followed by careful and highly focused separation of key tissue elements, then expert reinsertion into affected joint areas and soft tissue.

DO YOU TREAT CONDITIONS OTHER THAN MUSCULOSKELETAL?

No. As specialists and leaders in the musculoskeletal field with regards to Regenerative Medicine, we take our work very seriously with a specific focus on that part of the body. All supporting research around regenerative medicine deals primarily with musculoskeletal treatments.

ARE YOUR PROVIDERS BOARD CERTIFIED?

Yes. We believe Board Certified Medical Practitioners are a critical component of providing patients with the highest level of confidence in the initial consult, the delivery of any one of our cutting edge procedures, and any follow up post-procedure (see Board Certified MDs ).

WHY AM I HEARING SO MANY ADS ON THE RADIO ABOUT STEM CELL TREATMENTS?

That’s a great question – we’ve heard them, too! The field of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Treatment is absolutely exploding with popular interest and medical breakthroughs. Many patients have had extraordinary results that have allowed them to get back to their active lifestyles, or at the least successfully addressed chronic pain issues. We like to caution that many of these networks with big advertising campaigns make unrealistic promises or approach procedures without what we’d consider the proper level of attention to the best possible patient outcomes. We are a strong believer in the following:  board certified MDs for all procedures, the use of image assistance for injections, multi-modailty treatments options, a primary focus on musculoskeletal (as opposed to clinics that inject into every part of the body), and employing a clinical, automated system to track patient progress and post-procedure outcomes.

WHY DOES THE COLORADO STEM CELL CENTER TAKE A MULTI-MODALITY TREATMENT APPROACH TO REGENERATIVE MEDICINE?

We understand that there is a broad spectrum of conditions suffered by patients, each with varying degrees of severity, and they in turn require a wide range of treatment modalities to properly address them. Therefore, we work to properly identify and diagnose conditions up front to match with a proper procedure. We offer several different procedure options such as Lipogems, Alpha 2 Macroglobulin (A2M), Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), and Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) as we know that different procedure provide different outcomes, depending on the patient condition.

WHAT IS PLATELET RICH PLASMA (PRP)?

PRP has an established history of use to mitigate joint pain and soft tissue injuries worldwide.  Recently there have been many high profile professional athletes who have used PRP treatments, such as Stephen Curry, Peyton Manning, Rafael Nadal, and Tiger Woods.

The process starts with taking a patient’s blood, which then goes through a separation process via a centrifuge.  The targeted platelets are separated, then concentrated, harnessing the patient’s own powerful growth factors that lead to improved natural tissue healing. Once reinjected, the platelets set to work with regenerative activity that rebuilds the affected area, leading to tissue repair and pain relief.

ARE STEM CELL, LIPOGEM, A2M, AND PRP THERAPIES SAFE?

Yes. These procedures utilize your own tissue and blood to help you heal yourself. We remove targeted elements, apply very specific separation processes to concentrate key components, then reinsert in the areas that need it most.

When used by trained professionals and applied in the appropriate musculoskeletal areas, there have been no indications of direct harm or injury by these therapies.

WHAT IS THE DOWNTIME FROM A LIPOGEM, A2M OR PRP PROCEDURE?

There is essentially little or no downtime associated with these procedures. Most patients walk out of the clinic post-procedure and can drive away. There can be some soreness and swelling in the days following that require some attention and icing. In nearly all situations, patients are encouraged to use the affected extremities moderately to help stimulate regenerative health activity.

CAN THE PROCEDURE FAIL?

As with any procedure, it is impossible to provide a 100% guarantee that a procedure will succeed. Due to any number of circumstances, it is possible that a patient may require additional treatments. Also, in rare cases, a patient’s tissue may not embody enough repair potential relative to effectively impact a severe condition.

THE CONSULT AND PROCEDURE

I’M INTERESTED IN A REGENERATIVE HEALTH PROCEDURE AND WANT TO GET STARTED. WHAT DO I DO NEXT?

Great! Go to our Patient Candidates page. We ask all of our potential patients to complete our Patient Candidate Questionnaire. It doesn’t take much time, but provides us with key  information so we can make an informed decision on the most effective treatment plan for your condition. From there we will then contact you for next steps. We’d be happy to answer any additional questions at 303.872.3170.

SHOULD I BRING ANY PREVIOUS TESTS OR SCANS FOR MY INITIAL CONSULT?

Yes. We require any recent X-rays, MRIs, CT Scans, etc. for the body part that we will be providing a consult for.  This provides us with the critical musculoskeletal imagery we need to make a proper diagnosis, in order that we can assign the proper procedure. One size never fits all regarding regenerative treatment of joints and soft tissue, and we firmly believe in using as much information as possible to guarantee the best possible patient outcome.

HOW EARLY SHOULD I ARRIVE FOR MY APPOINTMENT?

We ask that you arrive 15 minutes before the procedure appointment. We have all patients complete a short OUTCOMES document on a digital tablet that is utilized to track patient progress and post-procedure outcomes.

HOW LONG DOES THE PROCEDURE TAKE?

Colorado Stem Cell Center utilizes only out-patient procedures. These are performed in our state-of-the-art clinic and require only one to two hours.

HOW DO YOU INJECT THE STEM CELLS INTO THE RIGHT PLACE?

Colorado Stem Cell Center uses mobile X-ray or ultrasound with all of its procedures. Medical imaging devices like these are essential for ensuring a highly accurate injection. Even the best injectionists miss 30% of the time without such a device.

MULTIPLE AREAS TREATED – CAN YOU TREAT MORE THAN ONE AREA AT A TIME?

Yes. During the consult, the doctor will discuss the option to treat more than one area. One example is when a patient is facing a chronic pain condition in both knees. The appropriate amount of tissue is removed, the relevant separation and process is applied with the tissue, then the elements are injected in both critical knee areas.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE BEFORE I SEE IMPROVEMENTS?

Depending on the procedure, patients can see results anywhere from 2-8 weeks.  Some patients see results even sooner, as in the case of PRP patients. We re-evaluate every patient at regular intervals post-procedure so we can measure the gain in improvement.

DO YOU TAKE INSURANCE FOR THESE PROCEDURES?

At this time, insurance companies are not covering the cost of these therapies. We are a cash only facility, but we do offer financing.

ARE THERE FINANCING OPTIONS?

We’ve partnered with a respected medical finance company to provide a quick and convenient financing option for any Colorado Stem Cell Center procedure.  You can access this option either from our website here or in the clinic for real time financing options.

DO YOU HAVE OUTCOME DATA?

Colorado Stem Cell Center is one of the few clinics to actively track with clinical precision what happens after a procedure. Centers that do this can effectively analyze and improve procedures, and more importantly provide the ongoing patient care that leads to the best long term outcomes.