Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC)

What is BMAC?

Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) is a regenerative therapy procedure that uses cells from a patient’s bone marrow to initiate healing for a number of orthopedic conditions, including osteoarthritis and cartilage injuries.

Chronically painful areas often have inadequate blood supply, healing potential, and regenerative cells to repair damage. BMAC can provide a rich supply of regenerative cells with the ability to replicate into various types of tissue. It has tremendous potential for patients with moderate to severe orthopedic conditions or injuries and is most often used to treat severe arthritis in the shoulder, knee, and hip.

It has also been successful in the treatment of:

• Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow
• Meniscus tears
• Low back pain from disc herniation
• Rotator cuff tendinitis
• Achilles tendinitis

What you should know about Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate

BMAC is obtained during an outpatient procedure in which a small amount of the patient’s bone marrow is extracted from the back of the pelvis, using local anesthesia to minimize any discomfort. The marrow is then processed in a centrifuge to produce a concentration of stem cells which will then be injected into the patient’s damaged tissue to promote healing.

The procedure involves minimal downtime and patients typically feel sore for two or three days at the site of the injection. As with all regenerative procedures, anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin should be avoided for at least two weeks following the procedure, as they may interrupt the healing process.

Patients should follow up with a short period of physical therapy to accelerate recovery. The full benefit of the procedure should be felt within six to eight weeks of the procedure.

Key Points to Remember

• BMAC can provide a rich supply of growth factors to initiate healing in areas that lack a natural blood supply and other healing properties.
• BMAC has been successful in the treatment of many common chronic orthopedic conditions.
• Anti-inflammatory medicines should be stopped before and after an Amniotic Matrix procedure, as they may interrupt the healing process.
• It may take 6 – 8 weeks to feel significant pain relief.
• In general, regenerative and biologic procedures are not yet covered by insurance. You can speak with an ONS insurance specialist at 203-869-1145, ext. 279.