This video features a patient follow-up shared by Dr. Don Buford at Texas Orthobiologics, highlighting the long-term effectiveness of a regenerative procedure as an alternative to a total knee replacement.
Key Highlights:
- The Diagnosis: Two and a half years prior, the patient was diagnosed with advanced knee arthritis. Dr. Buford shares her X-rays, noting clear varus (bow-legged) structural alignment changes and severe wear in the medial compartment of the knee joint.
- The Treatment: Rather than moving immediately to a invasive knee replacement, she chose an in-office bone marrow concentrate (BMC) stem cell injection.
- Long-Term Success: The patient reported being relatively pain-free for two full years following the single procedure. Her restored mobility allowed her to live an incredibly active lifestyle, which included skiing for 14 days during the winter and planning an 8-mile hike at Angel Fire. She describes the treatment as a total "life changer."
- Current Status: After more than two years of relief, she returned to Dr. Buford's clinic because she began experiencing a recent return of her arthritic symptoms. The team is using the visit to reassess her joint and discuss her next phase of treatment options.
Questions about this treatment
- Can PRP help with advanced knee arthritis?
- PRP may be considered for selected patients with knee osteoarthritis. Whether it is appropriate depends on the severity of arthritis, symptoms, examination findings, imaging, medical history, and other treatment options.
- What is PRP for knee arthritis?
- PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, is prepared from a patient's own blood and contains a concentrated amount of platelets. It may be injected into the knee as an orthobiologic treatment for selected patients with osteoarthritis.
- Are there options besides knee replacement for advanced knee arthritis?
- Depending on the patient's condition, non-surgical options may include exercise and rehabilitation, activity modification, medications when appropriate, injections, and selected orthobiologic treatments such as PRP. Treatment should be individualized.
- Does PRP replace knee replacement surgery?
- PRP does not universally replace knee replacement surgery. Some patients may experience improvement with non-surgical treatment, while others with advanced joint damage may still require surgery. A clinical evaluation is necessary to determine appropriate options.
- How is knee arthritis diagnosed?
- Knee arthritis is generally evaluated using medical history, physical examination, and imaging such as weight-bearing X-rays. Additional imaging may be used when clinically indicated.
- Is PRP appropriate for everyone with knee arthritis?
- No. PRP is not appropriate for every patient with knee arthritis. Suitability depends on the diagnosis, severity of disease, symptoms, examination findings, medical history, and treatment goals.
- Who treats knee arthritis at Texas Orthobiologics?
- Knee arthritis and related orthopedic conditions are evaluated and treated by Don Buford, MD and the Texas Orthobiologics team in Dallas, Texas.
Every patient is different, and a video is not a promise of the same result. If you want to know whether an orthobiologic or surgical option fits your own injury, that starts with an exam and imaging — not a video.
