Regenerative medicine is a term used to group together therapies used to promote healing or growth of cells or tissue using stimulants or products from the horses body.
Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cells are young undifferentiated cells that can be found in different types of tissue. Our practice uses mesenchymal cells harvested from bone marrow in the horse’s tuber coxae (hip). Harvesting takes place using standing sedation and local analgesia. Once collected the stem cells are taken to a specialized lab where they are cultured and expanded into millions, this is usually happens over the period of two weeks. Once expanded the stem cells are injected into the injury using ultrasound guidance.
PRP
PRP stands for Platelet Rich Plasma. PRP is obtained from a blood sample taken from the horse. Once the blood sample is obtained it is placed into a specialized centrifuge vial so the platelets can be separated and harvested from the blood. This process is done on site and takes about 15 minutes. Once the platelets are harvested they are then taken and injected into the site of injury using ultrasound guidance. Platelets are used in regenerative medicine because when activated they contain a variety of growth factors that act synergistically to promote healthy tissue growth.
IRAP
IRAP stands for Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein and is also referred to as autologous conditioned serum. IRAP is also collected from your horse’s blood and injected into a specialized container with beads and placed in an incubator for approximately 24 hours. Serum containing the IRAP is harvested and frozen and can be used for later treatment. Interleukin-1 promotes inflammation in the joint causing subsequent damage and pain. Using IRAP prevents IL-1 from binding to its receptors thus decreasing inflammation and further joint degradation and pain. IRAP treatment usually involves injecting the joint once every 7-10 days for 3-5 treatments.
SMART RLT LASER
The Smart RLT Laser is a class IV regenerative laser that produces strong short pulses of light. The light emitted creates acoustic waves capable of agitating the extracellular matrix, which causes the release of growth factors that stimulate growth in cells. These pulses force the body to re-align when it would not have otherwise and increases efficiency of biological processes in the body involved in healing, including circulation, oxygenation and metabolic stimulation. The laser can be used on tendons, ligaments, muscles, cartilage, bones, joints and wounds and has applications for acute and chronic injuries and pre and post performance support. Treatment plans vary depending on the severity and location of the targeted structure.