Hip osteoarthritis can limit nearly every aspect of daily life — walking, climbing stairs, sleeping, and staying active. While hip replacement remains the standard treatment for end-stage disease, bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) stem cell therapy offers a compelling non-surgical option for patients with mild to advanced hip OA who want to preserve their natural joint and delay or avoid surgery.
Dr. William Bonner is a credentialed Regenexx network provider in Miami — part of the world’s most advanced regenerative orthopedics organization. Every BMAC procedure is performed under image guidance using Regenexx proprietary processing protocols.
BMAC is injected directly into the nucleus pulposus of a degenerated disc under fluoroscopic guidance. Regenexx registry data has demonstrated meaningful pain reduction and functional improvement in carefully selected patients with discogenic low back pain.
Facet joint BMAC targets the intra-articular cartilage and synovial environment of arthritic facet joints — addressing the joint pathology itself, distinct from what medial branch blocks or RFA accomplish.
SI joint BMAC delivers regenerative cells directly into the joint for patients with confirmed sacroiliac dysfunction contributing to low back and buttock pain.
| Treatment | Target | Duration of Benefit | Best For |
| Physical Therapy | Movement, strength, stabilization | Long-term with compliance | All back pain stages |
| Epidural Steroid Injection | Nerve root inflammation | Weeks to months | Radiculopathy, disc herniation flares |
| Medial Branch Block / RFA | Facet nerve pain | Months to 1+ year (RFA) | Confirmed facet-mediated pain |
| PRP Therapy | Growth factors to disc, epidural space, facet, or SI joint | Months to 1+ year | Mild-moderate degeneration |
| BMAC Stem Cell Therapy | Living stem cells to disc, facet, or SI joint | Longest-lasting regenerative option | Moderate-advanced degeneration |
| Spine Surgery | Mechanical structural correction | Permanent | Severe stenosis, instability |
Many clinics in Miami advertise ‘stem cell therapy’ using amniotic or umbilical cord products that independent research has shown to contain no viable living stem cells. As a credentialed Regenexx network provider, Dr. Bonner uses your own living bone marrow stem cells — harvested and processed the same day — under strict evidence-based protocols backed by the largest regenerative orthopedics outcome registry in the world. Regenexx is the only organization with this combination of proprietary lab processing, published clinical research, and rigorous provider credentialing.
Bone marrow is aspirated from the posterior iliac crest under local anesthetic and ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance, concentrated in-office using Regenexx protocols, then injected into the hip joint under fluoroscopic guidance with contrast confirmation. Full procedure time including processing is approximately 2.5 to 3.5 hours in a single visit.
Most patients resume light daily activities within 1–3 days. Improvement develops gradually over 6–12 weeks, with continued benefit over 3–6 months.
Complete reversal is not a realistic expectation. Intradiscal BMAC can support disc cell survival, suppress intra-discal inflammation, and potentially slow further degeneration — resulting in meaningful pain reduction for many patients.
Many clinics advertising ‘stem cell injections for back pain’ use amniotic or cord products without living stem cells. Intradiscal BMAC uses your own living cells, concentrated the same day, delivered under fluoroscopic guidance by a physician trained in this specific technique through the Regenexx network.
Intradiscal healing is slower than peripheral joint healing. Most patients begin noticing improvement between 8 and 16 weeks, with continued improvement possible over 6–12 months.
If you are dealing with chronic low back pain or degenerative spine conditions and want to explore whether BMAC therapy is right for you, we are here to help.
Contact our Miami clinic to schedule an appointment with Dr. Bonner, or book online through ZocDoc for available appointment times (if you do not see availability, please reach out to us directly at 786-522-4959).
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