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BMAC (Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate)

Bone marrow is a spongy tissue found in the centre of your bones. In adults, it manufactures bone marrow stem cells which are undifferentiated cells in the body. 

Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) is a non-surgical, minimally invasive, regenerative treatment that harnesses the natural ability to heal the body through the assistance of biological growth factors. BMAC utilises the regenerative stem cells collected from bone marrow to aid in the acceleration of healing moderate to severe osteoarthritis and tendon injuries.

Current conditions and injuries treated with BMAC

Knee pain

Hip pain

Ankle & foot pain

Shoulder pain

Elbow pain

Wrist/hand pain

The BMAC procedure

Bone marrow is extracted from the pelvis bone with a large needle and syringe under local anaesthetics. The harvested bone marrow is then processed into its separate components. The plasma, containing beneficial proteins, is filtered and condensed into a general fluid concentrate (GFC). Similarly, a fraction of the harvested marrow containing mesenchymal stem cells is concentrated into BMAC. Once processed, the BMAC and GFC are separately injected into the joint after sterile preparation and local anaesthetic is applied.

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The injection offers:

  • Pain relief 
  • Reduce swelling
  • Increase joint function
  • Improve condition of joint cartilage

Clinical considerations:

  • Age: as we age the number of stem cells present in the bone marrow reduces, whereas the presence of fat is indifferent to age. The older the patient is, the less suitable the patient is for BMAC. This is further explained below.
  • BMI: another treatment, AMPP requires the harvesting of fat from the patient’s thigh or stomach, however if a patient has very little fat, this is not possible and BMAC may be more suitable.

    The difference between Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) and Bone Marrow Stem Cells (BMSCs)

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a subgroup of stem cells. They are only capable of making a certain type of tissues such as bone, cartilage, muscle and fat. See more info on Stem page.

    Adipose (fat) derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be harvested from multiple adipose tissue sites whereas bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) can only be harvested from the bone marrow.

    MSCs display higher proliferation rates and a greater adipogenic (fat cell formation) capacity than BMSCs. Whereas BMSCs display higher osteogenic (bone formation) and chondrogenic (cartilage formation) capacity compared to MSCs. MSCs and BMSCs display tissue-specific differentiation abilities, but with significant variation between donors. Age is considered to affect the properties of MSCs.

    Frequently asked questions

    Within 2-6 weeks after the BMAC procedure most patients report an increase in stability and strength alongside a decrease in pain.

    • Pain relief
    • Reduced swelling
    • Increase joint function
    • Increased condition of joint cartilage

    Most common risk: mild bruising around the BMAC harvest site.

    Rare occurrences: anytime a needle is injected, even when drawing blood, there is a slight risk of infection, bleeding, tendon damage or nerve injury.

    https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2020.00202/full

    The first step is to contact our enquiry team by calling us or completing a contact form on our website. Once you have had your consultation, our specialist will recommend treatment which may include BMAC, AMPP® therapy, Monocytes, PRP Therapy, nSTRIDE or pain-relieving injections.

    Clinical evidence

    Get in touch

    If you would like to find out more about Regenerative Treatments, or book an appointment to see one of our consultants, please fill out a contact form. We offer appointments nationwide (including weekends and evenings). Alternatively you can find us on:

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