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Evaluation of Wharton’s Jelly Allografts for Structural Support in Hip Pathology
Oct 03, 2024
Further research is needed on supplementing connective tissue defects, given that approximately more than 350,000 hip replacements are performed in the U.S. each year. Patients in need of hip cartilage repairs seek minimally invasive options first, making Wharton’s Jelly a promising alternative for musculoskeletal defects.
Dr. Albert Lai of Desert Pain Specialists and Centers of Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine in California and Dr. Conrad Tamea of Orthopedic Associates of Tampa Bay participated in the study. As a Double Board-Certified Physician with specialties in Physical Medicine Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine, Dr. Lai had this to say about the approach, “Incorporating Wharton’s jelly into our practice has provided an effective conservative option for patients with hip defects that outperforms conventional therapies. Utilizing the structural connective tissue allografts has allowed many patients to avoid surgery altogether and significantly improve their quality of life.”
The study follows 69 patients with hip defects from 26 private practices who received an application of a Wharton’s jelly allograft from Regenative Labs after having failed at least 8 weeks of conservative treatment. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the improvement of patient-reported pain, quality of life, and functionality scales after applying Wharton’s jelly (WJ) in hip defects.
Patient outcomes were tracked on a 90-day calendar utilizing three scales including the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Quality of Life Scales (QOLS), and Western Ontario and McMaster University Arthritis Index (WOMAC) covering pain, stiffness, and functionality. There were statistically significant differences between the initial application and Day 90 for the NPRS and WOMAC scales.
The application of Wharton’s jelly allografts in this retrospective cohort was observed to promote decreases in patient reported NPRS scores, pain, and stiffness in the shoulder and improve function. These improvements were consistent across age groups but were most notable for the elderly population, who generally have a slower and less effective recovery rate after conservative treatment and surgical procedures. Given the success shown by NPRS and WOMAC in decreasing pain in the elderly population, more studies are warranted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Wharton’s Jelly, specifically in patients older than 65.
“Total hip replacements are estimated to make up somewhere between $X billion to $X billion of annual healthcare expenditures in the US. It’s clear that the need for this type of research is necessary and quite frankly, overdue,” said Tyler Barrett, CEO of Regenative Labs.
The positive results from this study and the current literature provide a foundation to study applications of Wharton’s jelly in other musculoskeletal injuries to ultimately improve the quality of life and reduce the economic healthcare burden of multiple conservative treatments or expensive surgical procedures.
“As a board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon with over 25 years of operative experience, I can say after using Wharton’s jelly allografts in more than 200 cases, I have found them to be extremely beneficial to my patients. Orthopedic applications using Wharton’s jelly, including in the knee, shoulder, hip, and spine, are more often than not preventing the need for surgery that results in a prolonged recovery time, lost wages, and great financial cost,” said Dr. Tamea.
Barrett and his team hope to enlist physicians in Regenative Labs’ retrospective repository to take part in studies regarding uncovered uses. Physicians will have their outcomes highlighted, furthering the understanding of regenerative medicine and uncovering new applications for this groundbreaking field of medicine.
Contact us to get your practice involved today. Read the full study here.