What Is Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Injections?
The umbilical cord connects a baby to the placenta during pregnancy. After a healthy delivery, the cord is normally discarded. With the mother's consent, it can instead be donated and processed by a specialized tissue supplier into an injectable product. Dr. Tucker uses umbilical cord tissue ethically sourced through Platinum Biologics.
Cells from umbilical cord tissue come from a newborn, so they are much younger than cells drawn from an adult's own bone marrow or fat. Researchers believe this may give them greater regenerative potential. The product also carries growth factors and proteins involved in the body's natural repair process, and it is injected directly into the joint or tendon being treated.
An in-office injection, often with a local anesthetic. Your physician will explain where and how it is done.
Who Is a Candidate?
Umbilical cord injections may be worth discussing if you have a joint or tendon problem that has not improved enough with therapy, activity changes, bracing or standard injections, and you would like to consider another non-surgical option. Conditions it may be considered for include:
- Arthritis of the shoulder, elbow, wrist or thumb
- Chronic tendon problems (tendinopathy), such as tennis elbow
- Some partial tendon tears around the shoulder and elbow
They can also be a good fit for people who would rather avoid a bone marrow or fat harvest. These injections are not a replacement for surgery when a tendon is fully torn or a joint is severely damaged, and they are generally not used if you have an active infection or active cancer. Dr. Tucker will review your history and imaging and talk with you honestly about whether this treatment makes sense for you.
What to Expect
Treatment is a single office visit. The skin over the area is cleaned and may be numbed with a local anesthetic, a medicine that numbs only the area being treated. The product is prepared and then injected into the joint or tendon. Because there is no harvest step, the visit is shorter than BMAC or fat-based treatments, and most people drive themselves home.
Risks and Side Effects
Umbilical cord tissue is screened and tested by the supplier before it is released. Possible side effects include:
- A flare of pain, swelling or stiffness at the injection site for several days
- Bruising at the injection site
- Infection, which is uncommon
- A reaction to the donated tissue, which is rare
Your physician will review these risks with you, along with any medicines, such as blood thinners, that may need to be adjusted beforehand.
Recovery
Most people return to light daily activities within a day or two but are asked to limit heavy use of the treated joint or tendon for a period, sometimes with a splint or brace. Your physician may ask you to avoid anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen or naproxen for a period before and after the injection.
Improvement typically builds gradually over several weeks to a few months as your body responds. Hand and occupational therapy is often an important part of the plan. Our therapists work in the same office and share your chart, so therapy can be timed around your injection.
Physical therapy happens in our office, with therapists who share your chart. Learn about on-site physical therapy.
Insurance and Cost
Umbilical cord injections are usually not covered by Medicare or commercial insurance plans, so most patients pay for them themselves. Our team can explain the cost before you decide. Your office visit and any imaging may still be billed to your insurance as usual.
When to Talk to a Specialist
Call our office if a joint or tendon problem has lasted more than a few months despite therapy and other care, or if you want to understand your non-surgical options before considering surgery. After hours, call our main number to reach the answering service.
After the injection, go to the emergency room or call 911 for fever, spreading redness, warmth or drainage at the injection site, which can be signs of infection.
