In our previous posts, we’ve explored numerous topics surrounding regenerative medicine. But with all the literature and new data regarding these therapies, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with information. That’s why we’ve decided to condense this material to provide you with the 5 most important things every veterinarian should know about regenerative medicine.
1. Regenerative Medicine is not a new therapy
This may come as a surprise, but regenerative therapies including Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Stem Cell therapy have been around for more than 20 years. Pioneered in the 1970’s, PRP and stem cell therapy has been widely used in dentistry, plastic surgery and orthopedic procedures, treating both athletes (Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant to name a couple) and the “weekend warrior” alike. It has also been a common therapy in the equine world, treating many of the top race horses during and after their careers. This has provided us with 20 years’ worth of data and scientific backing to these therapies, many of which can be found on a publication search such as pubmed.gov.
2. Not all systems are validated for veterinary use
Because regenerative medicine has been around for several years, many of the systems that have been made available in the veterinary market came over from the human medical field. These systems which were originally engineered to process human samples, are now processing those samples from our canine patients. However, as we discussed in our previous post regarding validation, it is important to make sure whichever system is being used has been validated and optimized for the specific species it intends to treat. It is equally important that the validation has been performed by a 3rd party to eliminate bias in the final results. Click here to read the multicenter validation study for the CRT system.
3. Providing these therapies does not require a large time commitment
Processing for PRP or stem cell therapy can take less than 30 minutes and can be done in your own practice. No longer do you have to send out samples and wait for days or weeks to treat your patients. In less than 30 minutes you can collect, process and administer your PRP or stem cell treatments, making it a convenient therapy for both you and your clients alike.
4. Technicians can do the majority of the procedure
In addition to the minimal time required for processing samples, the majority of the work can be done by your hospital staff. Scheduling for these procedures requires a small time commitment of the administering vet, allowing your clinic to see more patients and utilizing your staff’s time efficiently.
5. You have support!
Venturing into regenerative medicine doesn’t have to be a solo journey! There are numerous educational courses, events, hands on trainings and webinars available year-round, which provide you support as you enter into this area of therapeutics. As with all Companion Animal Health products, education is our number one priority, which is why with each purchase of the CRT system, an 8-chapter training video is included along with a 1 hour live web training to for your supporting staff. Take a look at the Education & Training tab on our website, which contains both upcoming events and previously recorded webinars.
Stay tuned for our next blog post where we will look at the 5 things every pet owner should know about regenerative medicine.