News Release:

BREAKTHROUGH NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT HELPS YOUNG WESTON MASSAGE THERAPIST AVOID DOUBLE KNEE REPLACEMENT AND RETURN TO AN ACTIVE, PAIN-FREE LIFESTYLE

Regenerative Injection Therapy with Platelet Rich Plasma and Stem Cells from Belly Fat is Offering an Alternative to Surgery for Many Orthopaedic Conditions

NOTE: Click here to watch Michelle and Dr. Lazar on WFOR Channel 4.

PLANTATION, FL - At just 45 years old, Michelle Nodelman was in chronic knee pain. Her pain was so extreme that she was unable to walk up the stairs in her own home. After five years of dealing with degenerative cartilage disease in both of her knees, the Weston massage therapist who used to love to run and teach Pilates was having trouble simply bending her knees to get in and out of her car.

"It was so frustrating because I was very active and on my feet nearly all the time," she said.

Every few months, Nodelman would have fluid drained from her swollen knees. Doctors offered little relief. An orthopaedic surgeon in Miami told her she would need a double knee replacement but was too young to be a candidate for the surgery. She would need to wait several years before she could even consider knee replacement surgery.

Determined not to live with the pain, Nodelman began looking for doctors who were working with alternative, non-surgical therapies focused on cartilage regrowth. She found her answer with Alan M. Lazar, M.D., F.A.C.S., a board certified orthopaedic surgeon based in Plantation. Dr. Lazar is one of few doctors using an alternative in-office treatment known as Regenerative Injection Therapy that uses platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections. PRP is derived from removing a small amount of the patient’s own blood, which is placed in a machine that operates at a very fast speed to separate the blood into components.

Regenerative Injection Therapy can be used with PRP, or when necessary, with PRP in conjunction with stem cells from fat to increase the healing process. While other doctors in South Florida use PRP, Dr. Lazar is one of very few in the nation using it in conjunction with stem cells from belly fat.

The stem cells are extracted during a mini-liposuction procedure in Dr. Lazar's office. They are then combined with the platelets, which are tiny cells that are critical to healing. When the stem cells are injected into the injured area or arthritic joint, they release substances known as growth factors that lead to improved natural tissue healing and help the process of regeneration and remodeling of the area. Combined with stem cells, there is better circulation to the affected area, which enhances a natural healing process. This procedure is not only used for knee injuries but can be used in many areas of the body, including shoulders, torn tendons, ligaments, hips, ankles, wrists, hands and many arthritic and degenerative conditions.

Nodelman had only two injections. She had the most recent one in May 2010 and says she feels as good as new. She is still marveling over the fact that she does not need surgery or the painful rehabilitation and downtime associated with major surgical procedures. She is exercising once again, walking steps, and even went for a 15-mile bike ride with no discomfort.

"The swelling is gone, the pain is gone. I am a firm believer," Nodelman said.

For more information, visit www.dralanlazar.com or call (954) 476-9494.