What is Amniotic Fluid Therapy (AFT) and how does it work?

AFT is a mixture of both amniotic membrane as well as amniotic fluid.  These tissues contain a mixture of cells that have unique properties that help heal damaged tissue while preventing inflammation and scarring.  Through numerous different types of collagen, cell adhesion molecules, growth factors, the AFT works at the site of injury so new cells can form and the injured tissue be repaired, remodeled and rebuilt.

The amniotic fluid and tissue is collected from mothers that have volunteered the tissue.  These are mothers that have had scheduled Caesarian sections after 38 weeks of gestation in uncomplicated pregnancies.  The tissue is then screened and processed.  It is frozen and stored at a national tissue bank until delivered to us for use.

Like other stem cells (collected from the patient), the exact mechanism of the AFT is truly unknown at this time.  The studies are in their infancy, but do show promising clinical outcomes.  As a practice, we feel that the results of AFT are comparable to that of autologous (the patient’s own) stem cell.  The advantage of AFT is that there is no collection of bone marrow, blood or fat cells from the patient.  This means less patient pain and less needle pokes for the patients.

How is AFT delivered to the injured area?

The sample can be injected into an injured tendon, ligament, nerve, muscle, bone or joint.  The doctor may use an ultrasound machine to assist in the delivering of the injection and confirm placement to the injured area under direct visual guidance, if necessary.

What can be treated with the AFT injections?

Various forms of soft tissue and joint injuries can be treated with these injections including (but not limited to) arthritis, tendinitis/tendinosis, ligament sprains, muscle strains and nerve injury.  The success rates of the regenerative procedures are multifactorial and will be discussed at your initial appointment.

How do you determine the proper treatment for an injury?

This decision made by the physician is individualized and based on personal experience as well as the experience of other practitioners who perform similar procedures all around the world.

Will the injections be painful?

There will also be a varying degree of discomfort associated with the initial injection; however there should be minimal pain during the administration of the AFT.  Usually the anesthetic lasts for a couple of hours and you may experience significant discomfort for the first 24 to 72 hours during the healing process.  The physician will prescribe a pain medication to help manage the discomfort.  Tylenol can also be used to help manage discomfort.

How long before I can resume activity?

Most patients can typically resume their regular daily activities and return to work or school in 2-3 days.  We recommend that you avoid strenuous exercise for about 2 weeks after treatment.

How long is the healing process?

Abnormal or damaged tissue takes 9-12 months to completely heal, but most patients typically experience improved pain and improved mobility within 4-6 weeks.

How many treatments will it take to heal my injury?

The average patient requires one to two treatments.  Rarely will a patient require more than three.  After each treatment a follow up will be scheduled at about eight weeks out to determine the next course of action.

How will I know if I need more treatments?

Our goal is to have an 80-90% improvement in pain and function, but this can vary depending on the severity of your disease.  Specific goals will be made for you at an initial consultation.

Is AFT covered by insurance?

At this time, insurance companies do not cover these procedures as they consider them to be investigational.  To account for this, we offer competitive pricing for various regenerative treatments.

Are there any adverse effects to the treatments?

None that we know of at this time.  The AFT is thought to have "immune privilege:; it doesn't contain proteins from the donor that cause an adverse immune response.

If you have any additional questions about your procedure, please feel free to contact us!