Arthritis Treatment in Palermo
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?
When a joint becomes inflamed, doctors call it arthritis. Common signs include night and resting pain, morning stiffness longer than half an hour, swelling, and redness with warmth over the joint. It can stem from autoimmune disease (rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis), gout, infection or an earlier 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
After going through your scans, the doctor selects the joint, the method and the number of injections — whether the joint is large or small
Elbow
Pain after overuse or sports strain, wear of the joint surfaces
Hand and wrist joints
Stiffness and aching in the wrist and in the small finger joints
Knee
Wear of the cartilage, problems with the meniscus, pain after walking and on stairs
Hip
Early hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
Ankle
Pain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries
Shoulder
Raising the arm hurts; the joint and the tendons around it are worn
Methods we use
Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue
The affected joint receives an injection of the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) — a set of cells involved in tissue repair, isolated from a small sample of your adipose tissue — combined with your own plasma.
When the acute flare has died down, it can be used in inflammatory arthritis to act on local inflammation and help tissue repair.
PRP — platelet-rich plasma from your own blood
From a small amount of your blood, plasma rich in growth factors and platelets is separated and injected into the joint. It helps to calm inflammation and creates better conditions for repairing tissue.
As one element of the whole treatment plan, it may be recommended in rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis.
How the procedure goes: step by step
Consultation and scan review
The doctor examines the joint, reviews your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound and decides whether the procedure suits you. If you already have scans, you can send them before the visit.
Blood sample for PRP
Only a small amount of venous blood is taken; it is later used to prepare platelet-rich plasma with growth factors.
The doctor tells you in advance which tests are needed.
Adipose tissue sample
With local anaesthetic, a small amount of adipose tissue — about 30 ml — is collected through a puncture on the inner thigh or abdomen, and no stitches are required.
Processing in a centrifuge
The sample is placed in a centrifuge, where it splits into layers. From these the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and combined with the platelet-rich plasma.
The whole procedure is done in one day.
Injection into the joint
The affected joint receives the prepared material by direct injection under ultrasound guidance, for precise placement.
Follow-up
No hospital stay and no crutches. Once the procedure is done, the doctor remains in touch and tracks how your joint responds.
Consultation and scan review
The doctor examines the joint, reviews your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound and decides whether the procedure suits you. If you already have scans, you can send them before the visit.
Blood sample for PRP
Only a small amount of venous blood is taken; it is later used to prepare platelet-rich plasma with growth factors.
The doctor tells you in advance which tests are needed.
Adipose tissue sample
With local anaesthetic, a small amount of adipose tissue — about 30 ml — is collected through a puncture on the inner thigh or abdomen, and no stitches are required.
Processing in a centrifuge
The sample is placed in a centrifuge, where it splits into layers. From these the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and combined with the platelet-rich plasma.
The whole procedure is done in one day.
Injection into the joint
The affected joint receives the prepared material by direct injection under ultrasound guidance, for precise placement.
Follow-up
No hospital stay and no crutches. Once the procedure is done, the doctor remains in touch and tracks how your joint responds.
Follow-up visits
Follow-up visits let the doctor see how the joint responds and adjust the plan — pain usually eases over the first month, mobility improves over about three months, and the full effect develops over around six months.
Conditions we treat
It is a doctor who decides, after examining you and going through your scans, whether the treatment suits you
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: a fever, cold or flu, or any skin inflammation over the joint planned for treatment
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 go home the same day and return to normal daily activity within a day or two; the puncture sites are covered with small dressings. During the first week the joint may ache a little more — this is an expected reaction. Over the first month the pain usually eases, over about three months mobility and activity improve, and the full effect develops over around six months. How long it lasts differs from person to person and depends on the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and other factors — no one can promise a fixed result. If you are being treated by a rheumatologist, do not stop your prescribed medication without talking to them.
Why patients choose City Medical Centre
Our focus is saving your own joint, not replacing it, through treatment without surgery
Your own tissue
No synthetic or donor material is involved — only your own adipose tissue and blood
No crutches
Small punctures, not incisions, a local anaesthetic and no lengthy rehabilitation
Second opinion
For a free, independent doctor's assessment, send us your X-rays, MRI or reports
Support after the procedure
After the injection day we stay in touch and keep following the result
Arthritis treatment prices
The cost is set after the consultation: it depends on which joint, which type of arthritis and which method
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?
With arthritis, the joints are affected by inflammation. Typical are pain even at rest and at night, stiffness on waking that lasts more than 30 minutes, swelling, redness and a warm joint. Possible causes: autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, infections, gout and psoriasis.
Can PRP help with rheumatoid arthritis?
It does not replace the treatment prescribed by your rheumatologist, but PRP can complement it: in rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis it may help reduce local inflammation, pain and swelling, as platelet growth factors influence the immune response and tissue repair.
Can psoriatic arthritis be cured?
A complete cure for psoriatic arthritis, a chronic disease, is not currently possible. What we aim for is long remission — control of inflammation and prevention of joint deformity — and regenerative injections can form one part of that plan.
How does SVF work in autoimmune arthritis?
SVF brings cells able to modulate the immune response in the joint and to support repair of damaged tissue. This is an area of ongoing research, so expect the doctor to discuss realistic outcomes for your type of arthritis.
When is the treatment not suitable?
The procedure is not performed during an active joint infection, a severe flare, pregnancy, cancer or blood clotting disorders; in such cases the doctor postpones it or suggests another option.
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?
Inflammation never stops stimulating the pain receptors of the joint, whether you move, rest or sleep at night. Treatment that targets inflammation, including PRP and SVF, can help ease this pain.
Can joint injections be done during pregnancy?
No. In pregnancy, joint injections such as PRP and SVF are contraindicated, and any arthritis treatment is decided only together with a rheumatologist and an obstetrician.
Can I get a second opinion on my tests and scans?
Yes. Just send X-rays, MRI, ultrasound or blood test results; a doctor reviews them free of charge and tells you whether regenerative treatment might suit your type of arthritis.
What happens if rheumatoid arthritis is not treated?
Timely treatment is needed, because without it the disease can lead to permanent joint deformity, loss of function, osteoporosis and damage to internal organs such as the heart, lungs and kidneys.
City Medical Centre licences
Other services at our clinic
Everything about joint inflammation treatment in Palermo
The causes of arthritis vary: autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, gout, infection or an old injury. In Palermo, the doctor first confirms the type of arthritis, because treatment depends on it.
Pregnancy is a contraindication to joint injections, including PRP and SVF. For patients from Palermo, arthritis treatment during pregnancy is decided only with a rheumatologist and an obstetrician.
A consultation is the first step for every patient from Palermo. It is free, and after it you know whether the treatment fits, the method and the cost.
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