Attending Pri-Med South this Week?

If you're attending the Pri-Med South conference on February 11, 12 or 13, stop by booth 500 in the exhibit hall to say hello. I'll be talking to my colleagues about the latest in orthopedic surgery as well as Platelet Regeneration Therapy.

Even better, leave your business card for a chance to win a Kindle. I'll draw a name on Sunday and contact the winner to arrange delivery.

News Release:

South Florida Tennis Pro Back on the Court After Receiving Regenerative Injection Therapy for Tennis Elbow

Platelet Rich Plasma and Stem Cells from Belly Fat are Healing Many Orthopaedic Conditions

PLANTATION, FL– Tennis is Tom Mendenhall’s life and livelihood. The 56-year-old from Fort Lauderdale has been a tennis player and instructor for his entire adult life. He currently works with select players at the Fort Lauderdale Tennis Club as a professional instructor and trainer.

Mendenhall’s career was threatened in January 2009 when he developed a moderate medial tendon tear inside his elbow. A medial tear usually occurs on the outside of the elbow, but his occurred inside his elbow. He went to see an orthopedic surgeon who told him he would need surgery to repair and reattach the tendon.

“The surgeon told me that I would be out of commission and off the courts for close to one year,” said Mendenhall. “I would be immobilized and then would need intensive post-surgery rehabilitation. The thought of being off the courts for that long was depressing.”

Mendenhall began exploring his options. He heard about platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections for football injuries and researched the treatment on the Internet. He found Alan M. Lazar, MD, FACS, a board certified orthopedic surgeon based in South Florida. Dr. Lazar is one of few physicians using an alternative in-office treatment known as Regenerative Injection Therapy that uses 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.

Dr. Lazar ordered an MRI for Mendenhall, examined him, and told him that he was a candidate for Regenerative Injection Therapy. Mendenhall had one injection in his elbow, and within four weeks, he was back to playing matches and teaching tennis.

In January 2010, Mendenhall felt another pop in an area close to where he had the previous injury. Dr. Lazar was not sure if it was the same tear or another area within the same region, so this time he used Regenerative Injection Therapy with PRP and stems cells for optimum healing. 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.

Within four weeks of the second treatment, Mendenhall was back to playing again.

“I am thrilled with the results,” he said.

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

Platelet Rich Plasma Injections May Improve Ankle and Shoulder Instability

Many of us have had the horrible feeling of the ankle "giving way" while walking or stepping off of a curb. Some people have the same feeling occur in the shoulder. When this happens time and time again, it is called ankle instability or shoulder instability.

People with chronic instability experience repeated turning of the ankle or shoulder; persistent discomfort and swelling; pain or tenderness; and/or the ankle or shoulder feeling wobbly. Ankle or shoulder instability might develop from a sprain or injury that did not heal properly or that was not rehabilitated completely. When a person sprains an ankle or injures a shoulder, the connective tissues, or ligaments, are stretched or torn. Each subsequent sprain or injury leads to further weakening or stretching of the ligaments, resulting in greater instability and the likelihood of developing additional problems in the ankle or shoulder.

Treatment usually involves physical therapy, bracing and/or medication. If the instability continues, there are minimally invasive surgery options available. However, I am most excited about the potential of Regenerative Injection Therapy using a patient's own platelet rich plasma (PRP) and growth factors from fat for healing ankle and shoulder instability. Regenerative Injection Therapy is a new, non-operative treatment that enhances surgical repair and provides and option for orthopedic conditions that have traditionally required surgery or other extensive procedures. We draw the patient's blood, similar to a lab test, and place it in a special machine that spins the blood at high speeds, which separates the platelets from the other blood components. When treating instability, the platelets are then concentrated and re-injected into the ankle or shoulder. In turn, the platelets release substances known as growth factors that lead to improved natural tissue healing.

I recently observed a colleague treat shoulder instability with PRP and have adopted the procedure in my practice as a solo treatment or to enhance surgery when necessary. The procedure is called a peppering technique, which involves multiple small injections into the loose ligament or tendon. This technique causes the stretched tissue to contract, which resolves the instability. The results are impressive, and my patients are benefiting after only one or two treatments.

I have more information about instability and Regenerative Injection Therapy on my Web site. Thanks for reading! 

Sharing Liposuction and Fat Grafts Knowledge with Colleagues

Recently, Dr. Steven Sampson invited me to share my unique knowledge of a particular platelet rich plasma (PRP) procedure with colleagues at a seminar in Los Angeles. Dr. Sampson moderated the seminar. He gave an overview of the basic science/literature and discussed indications and protocols behind PRP.

For my part, I lectured about fat grafts and a mini-liposuction technique that I perform on the abdomen. We all learned about ultrasound for diagnosing orthopedic injuries and conditions as well as needle-guided ultrasound PRP injections. In addition, the group was given an opportunity to observe live patient PRP injection procedures at Dr. Sampson's office in Santa Monica.

I enjoyed the beautiful Southern California scenery and a visit with family. I also enjoyed networking with other physicians who are implementing Regenerative Injection Therapy with PRP in their practices. It was great to meet doctors from the United States and other countries. Although I was the only orthopedist who participated, I met physiatrists, sports medicine physicians, rheumatologists, and other specialists who wanted to learn about leading-edge tendon and cartilage techniques to care for their patients. The field of platelet rich plasma therapy is growing, and I am excited to be a part of it.

Thanks for reading. If you are a physician, and you missed out on this seminar, please stay tuned for future seminar and lecture opportunities!