BACKGROUND
I received a medical degree in 1975. My conventional training then consisted of a rotating internship and six years of surgical training. I became board-certified and had a solo cardiovascular surgery practice for 29 years near Kansas City. I became frustrated during my surgical career because patients were sent to me for surgery and they were on 20 different medicines. This did not make sense.
BALANCE
At that point I obtained a doctorate in Natural Medicine and practiced this along with cardiovascular surgery for several years. The concept that the patient is a human machine and the entire organism needs to be addressed as part of the healing process is essential.
So at the age of 58 there was an opportunity to open an age management practice in New York City. I am single. All my kids are grown. This is a new adventure in my life. I closed the surgical practice in Kansas and have lived in Manhattan for 11 years.
WIDESPREAD EXPERIENCE
As part of my background and training, I have operated or assisted with surgery on almost every body part. I have broad experience in conventional medicine and add the “other side of the fence“ with natural medicine.
One of the aspects to look at with stem cell treatment is wound healing. What can be done as an adjuvant treatment to promote and stimulate stem cell growth? My practice is different and more diverse than most stem cell clinics.
AGE MANAGEMENT
With an age management practice I found that patients have body parts that wear out. My experience with stem cells started with joint and soft tissue injections and includes treating retired NFL and NBA players as well as military special forces patients. I have followed the course of stem cell treatments extracting fat or bone marrow as the stem cell source, PRP, and placental stem cell products. The last three years I have limited my practice to the use of umbilical cord stem cells. Part of the experience I have gained over the last 11 years is that after age 30 I do not want your own stem cells.
STEM CELL TREATMENT
I am currently certified in stem cell therapies.
I do not have a recipe. Principles of wound healing learned as a surgeon are used. I thoroughly evaluate the patient using the human machine concept. Chemical and hormone balance is restored. The condition to be treated is evaluated to determine how the stem cells will be administered. An overall treatment program is developed using adjunctive services to promote healing and recovery.
ADJUVANT THERAPIES
Light therapy, oxygen, establishing chemical and hormone balance, and certain biologic substances such as NAD are essential adjuvants of the healing process. I rarely see these components provided in U.S. practice. The use of these modalities require certification.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
For me, the first thing with stem cell treatment is: DO NO HARM.
To begin, I will not use your stem cells if you are over the age of 30. They have been exposed to the environment as many years as you are old.
Umbilical cord stem cells are immune privileged. There are no tissue reactions when infused.
The primary risk of stem cell treatment is a needlestick.
Some stem cell treatments can be done in one session but others may consist of several appointments over 4-6 weeks as part of the overall process. Again, this is all about wound healing.
You can say the pocketbook is also a risk factor but the results many times are much better than with conventional treatment. This is about quality of life.
I have a small private practice in NYC and am not involved with any institution or insurance program. I have had experience with stem cell treatments other than joint injections. Systemic conditions approached include MS, strokes, emphysema, and cirrhosis. The results with emphysema and MS are good. Wound healing principles and adjunctive measures that promote healing and recovery are essential for optimal treatment program. Keep this in mind when evaluating stem cell therapies for you or the family.