Arthritis Treatment for Patients from Antwerp
A doctor looks at your case and tests first, then PRP and SVF cell therapy can become part of arthritis care for the knee, hand, shoulder or other joints
No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
Own tissue — your blood and adipose tissue
Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Free consultation
and review of your scans
What is arthritis
and when does this treatment fit?
Arthritis refers to inflammation within a joint. Typical complaints are resting and night-time pain, morning stiffness beyond half an hour, swelling, redness and warmth. It may be driven by autoimmune disease like rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, by gout, by an infection or by a former injury.
PRP and SVF may help ease inflammation and pain and support the tissues within the joint, yet they are no substitute for a rheumatologist's care of a systemic disease. We do not carry out the procedure during an active joint infection or a severe flare — the doctor first confirms which arthritis you have and picks the right moment.
No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Free consultation and review of your scans
Joints we treat
Any size of joint, large or small: your scans are reviewed first, then the doctor settles on the joint, the method and the number of injections
Elbow
Pain after overuse or sports strain, wear of the joint surfaces
Hand and wrist joints
Finger and wrist small joints that are stiff and painful
Knee
Pain after walking and on stairs, meniscus problems and cartilage wear
Hip
Early hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
Ankle
Pain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries
Shoulder
Pain when raising the arm, wear of the joint and surrounding tendons
Methods we use
Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue
We take a small sample of your adipose tissue and process it to isolate the stromal vascular fraction (SVF), a mix of cells that take part in tissue repair. It is then combined with your own plasma and injected into the affected joint.
It is used in inflammatory arthritis — once the acute flare is over — for its influence on local inflammation and the repair of tissue.
PRP — platelet-rich plasma from your own blood
A small amount of your blood is used to separate plasma rich in platelets and growth factors, which is then injected into the joint. It helps settle inflammation and gives tissue repair better conditions.
Recommended in some cases of rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis, it is one part of a broader treatment plan.
How the procedure goes: step by step
Consultation and scan review
Whether the procedure suits you is decided once the doctor has examined your joint and reviewed your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound. If scans already exist, you can send them before visiting.
Blood sample for PRP
Platelet-rich plasma with growth factors is prepared later from a small amount of blood taken from your vein.
The doctor tells you in advance which tests are needed.
Adipose tissue sample
A small portion of adipose tissue (about 30 ml) is collected under local anaesthetic through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh, with no stitches needed.
Processing in a centrifuge
A centrifuge spins the sample until it forms layers. The stromal vascular fraction is isolated from them and mixed with platelet-rich plasma.
The whole procedure is done in one day.
Injection into the joint
The prepared material is placed precisely: it is injected directly into the affected joint under ultrasound guidance.
Follow-up
No crutches and no hospital stay. The doctor stays in touch after the procedure and follows how the joint responds.
Consultation and scan review
Whether the procedure suits you is decided once the doctor has examined your joint and reviewed your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound. If scans already exist, you can send them before visiting.
Blood sample for PRP
Platelet-rich plasma with growth factors is prepared later from a small amount of blood taken from your vein.
The doctor tells you in advance which tests are needed.
Adipose tissue sample
A small portion of adipose tissue (about 30 ml) is collected under local anaesthetic through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh, with no stitches needed.
Processing in a centrifuge
A centrifuge spins the sample until it forms layers. The stromal vascular fraction is isolated from them and mixed with platelet-rich plasma.
The whole procedure is done in one day.
Injection into the joint
The prepared material is placed precisely: it is injected directly into the affected joint under ultrasound guidance.
Follow-up
No crutches and no hospital stay. The doctor stays in touch after the procedure and follows how the joint responds.
Follow-up visits
Pain usually eases over the first month, mobility improves over about three months and the full effect develops over around six months; follow-up visits let the doctor see the joint's response and adjust the plan.
Conditions we treat
A doctor decides whether the treatment suits you after examining you and reviewing your scans
What we work with
Arthritis
Arthrosis
Avascular necrosis
Osteoarthritis
Gonarthrosis (knee osteoarthritis)
Coxarthrosis (hip osteoarthritis)
Meniscus pathology and injury
Rehabilitation after injuries and surgery
Inflammatory joint conditions
Contraindications
Cancer
Pregnancy
Blood clotting disorders
Acute infections, including infection in or near the joint
Flare-up of a serious chronic illness
Cancer
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Serious heart, kidney or liver disease
Temporary contraindications: fever, a cold or flu, skin inflammation over the joint to be treated
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
After the procedure
Most people are home the same day and back to their usual routine within a day or two, the puncture sites covered with small dressings. The joint may ache a little more during the first week, as expected. Over the first month the pain usually eases, over about three months mobility and activity improve, and the full effect builds over around six months. How long it holds varies individually with the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and other factors, so no fixed result can be promised. If a rheumatologist treats you, do not drop your prescribed medication without consulting them.
Why patients choose City Medical Centre
Our focus is saving your own joint, not replacing it, through treatment without surgery
Your own tissue
Your own adipose tissue and blood are the only materials used, never donor or synthetic ones
No crutches
Local anaesthetic and punctures in place of incisions mean no long rehabilitation
Second opinion
Send X-rays, MRI results or reports and a doctor will assess them independently and free of charge
Support after the procedure
We track the result after the procedure and keep in touch, rather than stopping at injection day
Arthritis treatment prices
Because the joint, the type of arthritis and the method all affect the cost, the doctor names it after the consultation
Service
Price
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Joint treatment: frequently asked questions
What is arthritis and what are its symptoms?
In arthritis the joints are inflamed. People usually notice pain at night and at rest, stiffness in the morning that lasts more than 30 minutes, swelling, and redness and heat over the joint. It can be caused by autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, by infections, by gout or by psoriasis.
Can PRP help with rheumatoid arthritis?
PRP may be used in rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis to help reduce local inflammation, pain and swelling. Growth factors released by platelets influence the immune response and tissue repair. It complements, but does not replace, the treatment prescribed by your rheumatologist.
Can psoriatic arthritis be cured?
At present psoriatic arthritis, a chronic disease, cannot be cured completely. Treatment aims at long remission by controlling inflammation and preventing deformity of the joints; regenerative injections may be one part of this plan.
How does SVF work in autoimmune arthritis?
In SVF there are cells that can influence the local immune response and help damaged tissue in the joint to repair. The doctor will discuss realistic expectations for your type of arthritis, since research in this area is ongoing.
When is the treatment not suitable?
It is not carried out during pregnancy, a severe flare or an active joint infection, nor with cancer or blood clotting disorders. In these situations the doctor postpones it or suggests something else.
How is knee arthritis different from osteoarthritis?
With knee arthritis, an autoimmune reaction, infection or gout causes inflammation — redness, warmth, marked swelling, tenderness to touch. Osteoarthritis is different: the cartilage wears, and the usual signs are a dry crunch and aching pain during movement.
Why does an arthritic joint hurt even at rest?
The pain comes because inflammation keeps stimulating the joint's pain receptors, at rest, at night and during movement. Treatment aimed at lowering inflammation — PRP and SVF included — can ease it.
Can joint injections be done during pregnancy?
No. Because pregnancy is a contraindication to joint injections, including PRP and SVF, arthritis treatment during pregnancy is only decided jointly by a rheumatologist and an obstetrician.
Can I get a second opinion on my tests and scans?
Yes. Your X-rays, MRI, ultrasound or blood test results are reviewed by a doctor free of charge, and you will hear whether regenerative treatment could suit your type of arthritis.
What happens if rheumatoid arthritis is not treated?
Untreated, it can result in permanent joint deformity, lost function, osteoporosis and damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys and other internal organs. These complications are prevented by timely treatment.
City Medical Centre licences
Other services at our clinic
Arthritis treatment in Antwerp step by step
Without treatment, rheumatoid arthritis can lead to permanent joint deformity, loss of function and damage to internal organs. Timely treatment matters for every patient in Antwerp.
Treatment starts with a consultation and a review of your scans and tests. Then blood and a small adipose tissue sample are taken, processed in a centrifuge and injected into the joint under ultrasound guidance. For patients from Antwerp, it is done in one day.
Send your X-rays, MRI, ultrasound or blood test results. Patients from Antwerp receive a free assessment and a clear answer on suitable treatment and its price.
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