Stem therapy for ligaments...

[_jetset_]

Does anyone know how successful this can be?

I am thinking of suspensory ligaments... I have a leaflet through the post regarding stem cell therapy and it looks as though it could be a real possibility for Grace if something does not come right.

 

[DiamondGirl]

Hi Becki,

As a therapy stem cell treatment is in its infancy although the results are certainly very promising and it does seem that in the future it will play a role in many different disorders. I'm not up to date on the literature for its use in this kind of area but if you considered it further then I'd be happy to have a read up for you

I dont know how invasive it would be, do they mention their source of stem cells?

Feel free to pm me anytime too if you need any specific questions looked at,

Best of luck with your girl,

DG

 

[Alibear]

I know it's in it's infancy but Iv'e been told stem cell therapy is very good if there's a tear in the ligament but no use if the ligament itse;f is strained which is what happens in PSD if thats what grace has.

I would be interested to hear more from someone properly in the know am sure someone on this board wrote a paper on it?

 

[_jetset_]

I did think it wouldn't be any use for Grace... you have confirmed this thought

All I know is they take some of the bone marrow under sedation and send it away for 2-3 weeks where the cells are then grown.

 

[star]

it's great for holes in tendons, but it wouldn't be possible to use it for PSD.

 

[_jetset_]

Does anyone have any experience with it?

This is more for my interest than anything else

 

[star]

well, i've seen the collection and implantation done, but i dont have any personal experience with looking after a horse who's had it done.

 

[baleofhay]

My vet says only good if the ligament is torn and actually has a hole somewhere to put the cells into. No good for pulls and strains.

 

[_jetset_]

But do you know how successful it is in these circumstances?

 

[shirleywhitaker]

i enquired about it for rocky who has damaged collateral ligaments in both front feet. the vet said it wasnt for ligaments but for treating tendons ???????? it wouldnt work for ligaments because they are fiborous bands . so i dont know

 

[Lucy_Ally]

Stem cell therapy can be used in any tendon or ligament; however, there are certain criteria for a horse being suitable for stem cell implantation. There must be a 'hole', i.e. there must be a space to put the implanted cells. If there is too much granular/scar tissue already formed in the lesion then there effectively isn't anywhere to put the cells. Usually stem cells can only be implanted fairly early after an injury (after the acute inflammatory phase but before scar tissue fills the lesion).

Horses with suspensory ligament injuries can be treated with stem cells (there have been a few done successfully), however if Grace's injury is chronic desmitis and the scans do not show a definite lesion then she won't be a candidate for stem cell therapy.

Like with all new techniques the long term benefit of this procedure is not yet known, but the inital results are encouraging and it is certainly something I would consider doing with my own horse should she ever need it.

 

[_jetset_]

It is not really for Grace I was thinking... more curiosity as I received a leaflet from the vets and was reading up on it

Grace's injury was an acute one, but no tear, just inflammation

 

[native]

One of mine had stem cell therapy to repair her DDFT about 15 months ago, it saved her life. She had a very serious injury which was still progressing right up to the time the cells were injected. The damage in her tendon was horrendous, and the vet wasn't sure if it would work as the tearing went from front to back within the tendon sheath, and the cells were likely to leak into the sheath. We were all amazed at the way it healed. You do need to have it done quite quickly after the injury before scar tissue starts to form too much.