Biological reconstruction - alternative to hip prosthesis

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biological reconstruction - alternative to hip prosthesis

(Originally published in Health Freedom News, June 1990)

_http://getprolo.com/faber_alternatives_to_hip_replacement.htm_

(http://getprolo.com/faber_alternatives_to_hip_replacement.htm)

_William J. Faber, D.O._

(http://getprolo.com/wisconsin_faber_prolotherapy.htm)

Injections of sodium morrhuate have been shown in scientific studies done by

the University of Iowa to grow _ligaments_

(http://getprolo.com/why_ligaments_do_not_heal_on_their_own.htm) and tendons

between 20%-40% stronger than the

tendons and ligaments injected with a non-active substance.1,2 The process

produces a non-surgical tendon, ligament and joint reconstruction by taking

advantage of the body's own healing methods. _Sodium morrhuate_

(http://getprolo.com/prolotherapy_solutions.htm) is a FDA approved substance

which comes

from cod liver fish-oil. By injecting into the area where tendon or ligament

attaches to the bone controlled irritation caused fibroblasts (healing cells)

to travel to the area and lay down _connective tissue_

(http://getprolo.com/what_does_it_take_to_heal_connective_tissue.htm) , thus

repairing the torn or

relaxed area.

Dr. Faber explained that in arthritis the ligaments, the main supporting

fibers of the joints, become relaxed because the disc or _cartilage_

(http://getprolo.com/prolotherapy_and_knee_pain.htm) has become worn thin or

it has been

ruptured which causes slack in the ligaments. The joints have become

unstable and friction develops when they are used.

Bones respond to friction and stress by making more bone. This results in

boney spurring arthritis. A normal weight bearing joint has discs or cartilage

which acts as spacers to keep the ligaments tight; they also act as shock

absorbers. Ligaments and tendons do not heal well on their own because of their

lack of blood supply. The injection therapy works through the body's own

healing mechanisms to rebuild the weakened ligaments, tendons and joints. The

controlled irritation of the injection technique causes a dilation of the

vessels in the treated area and this aids the accumulation of the fibroblasts

which

produce the new protein tissue. Persons that may benefit from the therapy

frequently have one or more of the following symptoms or conditions:

Signs and Symptoms that May be Improved

*

arthritis in any joint in the body

any popping, grinding, clicking, or snapping in a joint (all of these are

signs of joint loosening and instability)

any joint which is only partially helped by osteopathic or chiropractic

adjustments/manipulations (or when adjustments or manipulations help but don't

hold) .

manipulation frequently makes big improvements quickly. If prolonged

manipulation is necessary this is an indication of joint instability and

injection

reconstructive therapy may be helpful.

any musculo-skeletal problem which has failed with surgery and other methods

 

any condition which is helped by a brace, splint, crutch, walker, lift or

wheelchair. People that need these aids frequently have weakened or lax joints.

 

deep aching

 

which is alleviated some by constantly changing positions

symptoms of decreased strength and endurance

increased pain with increased activity (swimming, biking and walking may be

exceptions)

various conditions such as osteoporosis with compression fractures, muscular

dystrophy, multiple sclerosis and spinal defects such as scoliosis and

slipped spine

any joint which swells chronically may be a candidate for resolution with

this therapy. Swelling may be an indication of chronic friction from

instability

any joint, tendon, ligament, cartilage, for which _cortisone_

(http://getprolo.com/cortisone.htm) e, Indocin, Nalfon, Clinoril, Feldene,

_Motrin_

(http://getprolo.com/anti-inflammatory_medications_prolotherapy.htm) or other

anti-inflammatory drugs has been used may respond to reconstructive joint

injection

therapy

conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff tears and temporal

mandibular joint dysfunction may also respond to joint reconstruction injection

therapy because joint, ligament, tendon, disc and cartilage weakening are

involved

In Use Over 60 Years

The therapy was discovered in the United States in the 1920's by George S.

Hackett, M.D. of Canton, Ohio and by two osteopathic physicians, Gedney and

Shumann, in Philadelphia. 3,5 The therapy never became widespread because the

solution used is not a patented substance so there was no financial incentive

for a pharmaceutical company to promote its use. Dr. Faber further warns that

a physician must be specially trained in the use of sodium morrhuate and the

techniques as death and paralysis have been reported complications. A person

must also have a good enough biochemistry status to heal areas which have a

poor blood supply. Many people think that if they have no symptoms that they

can heal their tendons, joints and ligaments. This is not true, as biochemical

problems can exist silently for many years before a symptom or tumor

results.

Dr. Faber recommends a customized detoxification program using natural

methods to remove waste products left by drugs, pollutants, both additives and

poor diet. Appropriate supplementation, bowel and dietary changes are also

often

recommended. Dr. Faber points out that tendons and ligaments do not gain

strength with exercise as many think. This is because there are no muscle

fibers

in a tendon or ligament. The non-surgical joint, tendon and ligament therapy

is indicated for joint, tendon and ligament problems, which exercise and all

other methods fail to help.

Although Medical Society guidelines do not permit public display of fees,

Dr. Faber states that costs for this therapy is usually only a fraction of what

a surgery costs and it also compares favorably with the cost of chair lifts,

wheelchair braces, drugs and other aids which only help a patient live with

the problem. The goal of the therapy is to permanently eliminate the

patient's need for these devices and to regain independence. 5

Results Are Permanent

Dr. Faber points out that once a patient received enough therapy to

reconstruct the joint, tendon and/or ligament the results are permanent. 5 He

states

he had had four patients who were involved in major auto accidents within 1-3

years after the joints were found to remain strong even after their

accidents. One must be like a farmer growing a crop. He must work at it; doing

what

is needed with enough repetition to regrow the tissues. To be complete this

may take a few months to a year or more depending on the situation.

Each treatment session results in more and more tissue being laid down in

the needed areas. As a result, the joints continue to become stronger. The

patients note more endurance in that they can do more activities as well as

activities they couldn't do before. The main side effect of the treatment is

less

pain as the result of the joint being stabilized. Also, snapping, clicking

and popping sounds go away. The patients can usually feel the joint becoming

stronger with each treatment they receive.

In Dr. George S. Hackett's monograph " Ligament and Tendon Relaxation Treated

by Prolotherapy, " illustrations 1 and 4 show normal rabbit tendons which

have been injected three times each. The tendon on the right has been given a

proliferative solution. The left tendons have been given placebo injections.

Hackett found that the tendons injected with the proliferative _solutions_

(http://getprolo.com/prolotherapy_solutions.htm) were 35 to 40% larger in

diameter and weight compared to the control injected left tendon. In his

monograph

Hackett states that 1600 patients with severe _sacroiliac_

(http://getprolo.com/sacroiliac_joint_dysfunction.htm) sprain were treated

with reconstructive

injections. They were examined by independent physicians 2 to 12 years after

those remained free of pain or recurrences.3

Double-Blind Human Study Demonstrates Reconstruction Success

The Sansum Medical Clinic of Santa Barbara, California, led by Robert Klein,

M.D., a rheumatologist, and Thomas Dorman, M.D., an internist, conducted the

most difficult task of a double blind human study in cases of continuous low

_back pain_ (http://getprolo.com/prolotherapy_and_back_pain1.htm) patients

who suffered for ten years on average. They divided 81 patients who have had

surgery, medications, manipulations/adjustments, exercise, _physical therapy_

(http://getprolo.com/physical_therapy_and_prolotherapy1.htm) and other

treatments which failed to provide adequate relief.

One group was given manipulation and a reconstructive solution of _dextrose_

(http://getprolo.com/contraindications_and_prolotherapy.htm) , glycerine and

phenol. The other group was given sham manipulation and a reconstructive

solution of dextrose, glycerine and phenol. The other group was given sham

manipulations and normal saline injections. Great care was taken to insure that

neither the patient nor the physicians knew which solution was injected. Both

groups were given a total of six sessions of treatment. The results were

tabulated and then the code was broken. It was found that 88% of the group

injected

with the reconstructive solution had moderate to marked improvement. They

reported their findings in the prestigious British medical journal, The Lancet

on July 18, 1987.4

Strength 40% Increased Over Normal

Harold Walmer, D.O. of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania has performed

reconstructive therapy since 1952. He became interested in the marked increase

of the

white areas of the x-rayed tendons of Dr. Hackett. He spearheaded the research

which further explored the question of increased strength caused by

reconstruction therapy. At the University of Iowa, Department of Orthopedic

Research

medial rabbit knee ligaments were injected with sodium morrhuate 5% three

times. Sodium morrhuate is an FDA approved substance purified from distilled

cod

liver fish oil. The control ligaments were injected three times with normal

saline solution. The ligaments were then mechanically pulled from the bone and

the force required was recorded. It was found that mechanical strength of

the morrhuate injected ligaments was some 35 to 40% over the normal ligament.

Dr. Walmer states that it is this 35 to 40% increase in structure as well as

mechanical strength over normal that makes the therapy exciting and dramatic

in results.1,2

He postulates that the above observations may explain the fact that numerous

patients with severe conditions of long term advanced degeneration of bones,

discs, cartilage, joints, tendons, ligaments, failed surgery, compression

fractures, polio, muscular dystrophy and other advanced musculo-skeletal

problems have been seen to have dramatically improved strength and endurance

allowing them to literally throw away wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, braces and

other aids. Dr. Walmer would like to obtain grant money for another university

study to measure before and after strength of severely degenerated joints. He

feels that people in wheelchairs and with others severely weakened joint

conditions, may have only 20% of the normal strength. Since reconstruction

therapy has been shown to increase size and strength by 35 to 40% over normal he

speculates that increases of over 100% may be possible. (See Illustration 5).

Dr. Walmer feels that grant research funds would be well spent in these times

of increased medical surgical costs for more studies on this life restoring

biological therapy. The therapy is estimated to be three to ten times more

cost effective than joint surgery, joint replacement or spinal surgery. Studies

need to be done here so that costs and rewards of the treatment can be

evaluated. James Carlson, D.O., Knoxville, Tenn., orthopedic medicine and

sports

medicine specialist and past president of the American Association of

Orthopaedic Medicine, states that any pain or discomfort associated with

receiving

multiple injections is made up for ten fold in benefits received by the

therapy.

_Kent Pomeroy, M.D_ (http://getprolo.com/arizona_prolotherapy_pomeroy.htm)

of Scottsdale, Arizona, a rehabilitation specialist and president of the

American Association of Orthopaedic Medicine, states dramatic results should be

noted by the patient within the first weeks after the injections provided no

severe swelling is present. If swelling occurs after the treatment, the

patients need to wait until the swelling subsides before they can note improved

strength and endurance., If marked improvement is not obtained after the first

few treatments, then further laboratory and examination is recommended to find

causes why the patient cannot reconstruct tissue.

How New Tissue is Made

Biology has very few laws but one law is the Arndt-Schultz Law. It states

that small stimuli are stimulating. Large stimuli tend to inhibit. For example

a little electrical current stimulates circulation and healing. A large

electrical stimulation causes decreased circulation and cell death. Mild

irritating reconstructive solutions cause dilation of blood vessels and a

migration of

fibroblasts (healing cells) to the injured areas. The fibroblasts then lay

down _collagen_ (http://getprolo.com/collagen_and_prolotherapy.htm) which is

structural protein to repair the area. The University of Iowa and Dr.

Hackett's research substantiate this regrowth.

Rodney Chase, D.O. of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a joint reconstruction

therapist for over 30 years, has stated that because new tissue is created, the

results must be considered permanent. He further advises that patients with

losses of disc, cartilage, bone anatomy from surgery, fractures or degenerative

disease, and those with severe scoliosis, receive periodic treatments after

they reach their maximum level of improvement. Dr. Chase explains that with

losses of structures, structural height or deformities these patients have been

helped very significantly but need periodic treatment to maintain their

optimal level of strength and function.

Contraindications and Side Effects

John Sessions, D.O., a reconstruction therapy and biological practitioner

from Kirbyville, Texas, states the main side effect is less pain. This

sometimes makes people think that they are cured and they overuse their treated

body

part. Dr. Sessions reminds them that reconstruction therapy is a natural

process like growing grass from seed. " You don't play baseball on new grass.

You

let it grow up to its maximum growth then you can play ball on it. "

William Kubitschek, D.O. of San Marcos, California states that a

contraindication to getting the therapy is getting the therapy from a physician

who has

not specifically trained in reconstructive therapy. Further Dr. Kubitschek,

in speaking as board of director and founding director of the American

Association of Orthopaedic Medicine states, " Reconstructive therapists should

know

how to use various solutions in all the anatomical areas of the body if they

are D.O.'s or M.D.'s. Dentists and podiatrists who have been specifically

trained in reconstruction therapy use the therapy. Those not specifically

trained

in performing reconstruction therapy are simply not qualified to comment on

its indications and use of this specialized therapy. "

The main effects are reconstruction and increased strength. It is not

uncommon for joints to swell after injection. This may last a few days to week

or

longer. The treating reconstructive therapists should be contacted for any

problems and follow-up. Other physicians simply don't understand the procedure

since they have had no special training.

The greatest complication is not having increased strength and endurance

after the first few treatments. This means metabolic problems, since the

treatment works through the body’s own natural healing processes.

Only a physician specially trained in reconstruction therapy can tell if a

patient needs it.

Dr. Faber teaches the method to interested physicians throughout North

America. He has training program available for interested doctors because this

specialized injections technique is not taught in residency or in medical

school. Additional training is necessary as the therapy may be dangerous if the

doctor administering it has not had training in the therapy. In the hands of an

experienced practitioner, however the therapy is safer than injection of

cortisone.

Artificial Joints May Cause Cancer

Forbes magazine in an article titled " Asbestos Again " in June 12,1989

reported that metal implants placed in a million U.S. citizens each year

dissolved

in the body and place a heavy metal load in the body causing decreased

immunity and cancer. Dr. Faber states that chelating physicians have known this

for

years because chelation removes metals from the body. Dr. Faber attended the

American Congress of Orthopaedic Surgeons Convention eight years ago. It was

stated there that 75% of all hip replacements loosen causing pain, lameness

and re-replacement of more toxic metals. Dr. Faber states having a metal

implant alone, not to mention dental amalgams as well as excessive metals in

the

water supply, is a reason to receive EDTA intravenous chelation therapy to

remove metals from the body.

Case History #1

F.S., M.D., 69, sat with gnawing pain in his left hip. It had been

increasing for years, but now he couldn't do his favorite things, roller skating

and

artistic kite flying.

He went to his local hospital in Bellingham, Washington. The radiologist

showed Dr. S. the severe degeneration easily seen throughout his hip joint. He

said, " You need to have that hip replaced. See the orthopedic surgeon. "

Dr. S., an obstetrical and gynecological surgeon for 40 years, and graduate

of Princeton, Yale and the State University of New York, Buffalo, was no

stranger to the art of and science of surgery. He knew that all surgeries were

potentially very dangerous. In his practice (he is now retired) he tried to

avoid surgery at all costs. He believed that the body heals itself. The

physician or surgeon can best help the patient by avoiding drugs and surgery.

Optimized healing is the best way. The body is smarter than we'll ever be. Hip

surgery was not his area of expertise. He only knew that an artificial hip

wasn't

for him.

In February 1987 an article appeared that caught his eye. It was titled

" Permanent Stabilization of Tendons, Ligaments and Joints. " When he read the

article he could see this may be the alternative he was looking for. He made

arrangements and flew to Milwaukee. Dr. Faber conducted examination and reviewed

x-rays.

Dr. Faber gave Dr. F.S. aggressive therapy, treating him 4 times that week.

He told him, " Go back to Washington and call me when you notice a change. "

Dr. Faber received a call the next week. Dr. S. said, " I can feel the strength

in my hip. I can walk, climb stairs and get out of chairs much easier than I

could before.

" Your body has a healing ability and is saying a strong yes to

reconstruction therapy. You now just need to repeat the therapy until maximum

strengthening occurs. " He was told to see _Richard Koch, D.O.,_

(http://getprolo.com/washington_prolotherapy_koch.htm) a reconstruction

therapist in Olympia,

Washington for follow-up treatments. Dr. S. went and received continued

improvement.

He reports he skates, runs and does anything he wants without a second

thought about his hip.

Case History #2

Stricken with polio for over 40 years C.K., age 75, couldn't walk a straight

line even though he wore heavy leg braces and used a cane. Every day he

could tell he was weakening as walking was becoming more and more difficult for

him. He had marked arthritis and multiple joint laxity.

C.K. had been told by a number of doctors at large medical centers that

there was no help for hip and that he should not hope for improvement in his

condition. They told him he would eventually be wheelchair confined. He was

given

treatment to his ankles, knees, hips, low back, hands and wrists. The

patient was encouraged to note improvement after 40 years of steady decline. His

independent walking improved considerably after starting reconstruction

treatment.

References

1.

" An In Situ Study of the Influence of a Sclerosing Solution in Rabbit

Medical Colateral Ligaments and its Junction Strength. " U.K. liu, Charles M.

Tipton, Ronald D. Matthes, Toby G. Bedford, Jerry A. Maynard & Harold C.

Walmer,

Connective Tissue Research, 1983, Vol. II, p. 95-102, Gordon & Breach, Science

Publishers, Inc.

" Morphological and Biochemical Effects of Sodium Morrhuate on Tendons. " J.A.

Maynard, V.A. Pedrini, A. Pedrini-Mille, B. Romanus & F. Ohlerking. Journal

of Orthopaedic Research, 3:236-248, Raven Press, New York, 1985.

Hackett, M.D. George Stuart, Ligament and Tendon Relaxation Treated by

Prolotherapy. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL, 1958.

" A New Approach to the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain. " Ongley, Milne;

Klein, Robert; Dorman, Thomas; Eek, Bjorn & Hubert, Lawrence J. The Lancet,

July 18, 1987.

Faber, W & Walker, M. Pain, Pain Go Away. Ishi Press International, Mountain

View, CA 1990.

" Asbestos Again? " , Slutsken, G. Forbes, June 12, 1989.