Hughston Clinic of Columbus (Ga.) orthopedic surgeon Champ Baker Jr., MD, implemented Lipogems technology to help repair patients' damaged tissue.
Five notes:
1. With Lipogems, a portion of the patient's belly body fat is removed and then injected into other areas of the body where the individual is experiencing pain.
2. The minimally invasive procedure is designed to provide cushioning and support to targeted areas to help support the body's natural healing process.
3. Lipogems aims to help patients who have not experienced sufficient relief from physical therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or steroid injections, Dr. Baker said.
4. "Your own fat is loaded with reparative cells that can assist with healing orthopedic conditions that affect your joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles," Dr. Baker said. "[These cells] are easier to get to, and the procedure can be more comfortable for patients, especially when compared to harvesting bone marrow."
5. Dr. Baker's specialties include sports medicine, arthroscopy and conditions of the shoulder, elbow and knee.