Autologous orthobiologic therapy
A biologic product made from your own bone marrow, and when clinically appropriate, your own fat tissue, delivered with image guidance to the parts of the joint that drive pain and degeneration.
A VARIETY OF USES
All treatments are individualized after clinical evaluation and imaging review. The conditions below are most commonly evaluated for autologous orthobiologic therapy at Boulder Biologics.
Moderate-to-severe with subchondral involvement.
MRI-confirmed marrow edema in periarticular bone.
Pre-collapse, where biologic intervention may help.
Persistent radiographic non-healing past expectation.
High-grade partial tears, recalcitrant tendinopathy.
Partial tears, chronic laxity where surgery isn't indicated.
Focal chondral defects, post-meniscectomy lesions.
Systemic indications, Long COVID, TBI sequelae, evaluated individually.
What it is
Autologous orthobiologic therapy uses minimally manipulated biologic products derived from your own bone marrow, and, when clinically appropriate, adipose tissue, to support endogenous repair in chronic musculoskeletal injuries.
These preparations contain mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) along with platelets, growth factors, cytokines, and extracellular vesicles that may influence inflammation, angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling.
The clinical effect comes from cell-to-cell signaling and modulation of inflammation: supporting your body's own repair, not replacing tissue with new cells. The distinction matters scientifically and for how the FDA categorizes the therapy.
No stem cell or cellular therapy is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of these conditions. The approaches described on this page are experimental, grounded in evolving translational and early clinical research, and offered only following comprehensive evaluation and informed consent.
References to "stem cells" on this page reflect cellular populations contained within autologous bone marrow–derived biologic material, not manufactured or expanded stem cell products.
Autologous bone marrow–derived cellular therapy is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a drug or biologic for the treatment of specific musculoskeletal or systemic conditions. Clinical use is based on physician judgment, current scientific evidence, and individualized patient evaluation. No claims are made regarding guaranteed outcomes, tissue regeneration, or disease modification.
All biologic material is autologous (your own), patient-derived, and processed within the same procedural window. No expanded cell lines, donor cells, or research-only compounds.
Consistent with FDA guidance, we avoid unsupported claims regarding "stem cell" replacement or regeneration.
How the procedure works
No hospital stay. No general anesthesia. Patients remain awake throughout; an oral sedative may be prescribed at the patient's discretion.
Intake and venous blood collection for autologous PRP, prepared in parallel.
Bone marrow aspirate from the PSIS under image guidance; flank adipose when indicated.
Density-gradient centrifugation concentrates the MSC-containing biologic fraction.
Ultrasound and/or fluoroscopic placement in joint space, subchondral bone, or target tissue.
Outpatient recovery and monitoring prior to going home.
Mechanism
In moderate-to-severe joint disease, the pathology lives in both the joint space and the underlying subchondral bone. Contemporary research increasingly views the subchondral compartment as a critical driver of pain, inflammation, and structural degeneration.
Dr. Glowney's protocol uses real-time imaging to deliver MSC-containing material to both compartments, joint space and subchondral bone, addressing the osteochondral unit as an integrated biological system.
This dual-compartment approach is supported by clinical literature including Hernigou and colleagues, who demonstrated improved outcomes in osteoarthritis treated with bone marrow–derived cell concentrates delivered to both compartments.
Schematic, joint anatomy and dual-compartment delivery. Not to scale; clinical procedure varies by joint and indication.
OUR BIOLOGICS LAB
Our lab sits inside the clinic, your sample never leaves the building. Every preparation is processed using standardized protocols designed to preserve viability and sterility.
* When clinically indicated
MSC culture · phase-contrast. Adherent, fibroblast-like stromal cells from autologous bone marrow aspirate during short-term culture. Plastic adherence and spindle-shaped morphology are defining MSC phenotypic properties, shown for research and QA documentation, not representative of same-day ex-vivo products used clinically.
Want more details? See our facilities & biologics lab →
Inside our laboratory
Every preparation passes a validated workflow before it ever reaches a patient. The result is biologic material we can stand behind, not a marketing claim.
QC · 01
Our BMA preparation protocol is validated by flow cytometry, confirming the expected stromal-cell surface markers, cell content, and viability profile that our process consistently produces.
CD73+ / CD90+ / CD105+ confirmation
CD34− / CD45− exclusion
QC · 02
Material is processed in an ISO 5 biosafety cabinet and moves through closed-system, single-use processing kits, the sample never touches open lab air.
ISO 5 biosafety cabinet / single-use closed-system kits / no open-air exposure
QC · 03
We're not just a simple clinic. Our laboratory and procedure spaces are built and audited to cleanroom standards.
Particle counts / environmental monitoring / validated cleaning procedures
Behind every measurement is a person who trusted us with their care. We hold ourselves to this discipline because you deserve to know, clearly and honestly, what's in the preparation we're delivering to you.
Is this you?
Cellular therapy is a bigger procedure than PRP, with a longer recovery. A consultation is where we figure it out together, your history, your imaging, and the right path forward for you.
Frequently asked
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a population of cells found in bone marrow and other connective tissues. Consistent with FDA guidance, we describe them as mesenchymal stromal cells, not "stem cells", and frame their clinical use as supporting endogenous repair through signaling and microenvironmental modulation rather than direct tissue replacement.
No. We do not perform commercially-marketed "stem cell injections" of unregulated sources. Our therapy uses your own bone marrow, processed in our on-site lab, with appropriate terminology and clinical framing aligned to current FDA guidance.
Aspiration is performed in-clinic under local anesthesia and image guidance from the iliac crest. Most patients report moderate pressure during the procedure and mild soreness for 24 to 72 hours afterward.
Most commonly: moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis with subchondral involvement, avascular necrosis, recalcitrant tendon and ligament pathology. Selected systemic indications, including post-viral syndromes and traumatic brain injury sequelae, are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Most insurance plans do not currently cover autologous biologic cellular therapy. We provide transparent pricing during consultation and supply documentation for HSA/FSA reimbursement where applicable.
Selected references
A starting point for the evidence base on autologous, bone-marrow–derived cellular therapy in orthopedics. Full PDFs available at consultation.
Related therapies
Schedule a cellular therapy consultation
Dr. Glowney reviews your imaging, history, and prior treatments, and tells you honestly whether cellular therapy fits your case or whether another path makes more sense.
Or call 720-550-6175