OrthoBiologic Treatment

What is orthobiologic treatment?

Orthobiologic treatment is an umbrella term for several procedures that use biological (or natural) substances to relieve pain and enhance your body’s healing process. These procedures are minimally invasive and, since they use natural substances, are less likely to cause side effects like infection.

Which problems can benefit from orthobiologic treatment?

At Keck Medicine of USC, Orthopaedic Surgery, Dr. Hatch uses orthobiologic treatment to manage various musculoskeletal problems, including:

• Sports injuries
• Joint stiffness
• Frozen shoulder
• Knee injuries (patellar instability and dislocations)
• Rotator cuff tears and SLAP tears
• Tendinitis
• Ligament sprains
• Muscle strains

Sometimes, Dr. Hatch uses orthobiologic treatment in coordination with surgery. For example, a series of PRP injections after a knee osteotomy (a procedure that reshapes the thigh bone and shinbone) can reduce the risk of infection and speed your recovery.

What types of orthobiologic treatment are there?

At Keck Medicine of USC, Orthopaedic Surgery, Dr. Hatch provides several types of orthobiologic treatment, including:

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections

PRP uses growth factors in your blood, called platelets, to speed up healing. 

During treatment, Dr. Hatch administers a series of PRP injections into an area of damaged tissue, like a sprained ankle. After the platelet-rich solution enters your body, blood flow to the treatment site increases, spurring the growth of new, healthy tissue.

Bone marrow concentrate (BMC) injections

Bone marrow concentrate injections contain stem cells from your bone marrow. Stem cells are unique in that they transform into any cell — bone, blood, or tissue. This capability makes them specially equipped to promote healing after a musculoskeletal injury.

Like PRP, Dr. Hatch injects the BMC into an injured area, like a dislocated knee cap, speeding up our body’s healing process.

Hyaluronic acid injections (viscosupplementation)

Hyaluronic acid injections treat joint pain caused by arthritis. During this procedure, Dr. Hatch injects hyaluronic acid into a joint, like your knee or elbow. The solution relieves pain, provides extra cushioning, and, in some cases, even promotes cartilage and bone growth.

How long does it take for orthobiologic treatment to work?

The time it takes for orthobiologic treatment to work depends on how severe your injury and symptoms are. Some people notice a significant improvement in their pain levels after just one treatment. Dr. Hatch typically recommends a series of at least three treatments spaced several weeks apart.*

Call Keck Medicine of USC, Orthopaedic Surgery, today to schedule an orthobiologic treatment consultation, or book your appointment online.

*Individual results may vary.