Arthritis Treatment for Patients from Yokohama
Cell therapy (SVF) and PRP as one element of arthritis care — knee, hand, shoulder and other joints, with a doctor reviewing your tests beforehand
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?
With arthritis, a joint is inflamed. Signs to watch for: pain while resting and at night, morning stiffness lasting more than half an hour, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint. There are several causes — autoimmune conditions (rheumatoid, psoriatic arthritis), gout, infection or an injury from the past.
While PRP and SVF can lower inflammation and pain and help the joint's inner tissues, a systemic disease still needs a rheumatologist — these injections do not take their place. They are never given during an active joint infection or a strong flare; the doctor first establishes the type of arthritis and times the procedure.
No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Free consultation and review of your scans
Joints we treat
Large or small joints: once your scans are reviewed, the doctor picks the joint, the method and the number of injections
Elbow
Overuse or sports-strain pain and wearing of the joint surfaces
Hand and wrist joints
Stiffness and aching in the wrist and in the small finger joints
Knee
Meniscus issues and cartilage wear, with pain after walking or on stairs
Hip
Early hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
Ankle
Pain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries
Shoulder
Pain on lifting the arm and wear of the joint and nearby tendons
Methods we use
Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue
A little of your adipose tissue is collected and processed so that the stromal vascular fraction (SVF), a mixture of cells that help tissue repair, can be isolated. Together with your own plasma it is injected into the joint that is affected.
Inflammatory arthritis is one use for it, once the acute flare has settled — because it acts on local inflammation and tissue repair.
PRP — platelet-rich plasma from your own blood
Plasma rich in platelets and growth factors is taken from a small amount of your blood and injected into the joint, where it helps calm inflammation and improves the conditions for tissue repair.
It may form one part of the overall treatment plan in rheumatoid and other types of inflammatory arthritis.
How the procedure goes: step by step
Consultation and scan review
First comes an examination of the joint and a look at your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound; then the doctor decides whether the procedure fits your case. Existing scans can be sent before the visit.
Blood sample for PRP
A small amount of blood is taken from a vein. Platelet-rich plasma with growth factors is later prepared from it.
The doctor tells you in advance which tests are needed.
Adipose tissue sample
The doctor numbs the area with local anaesthetic and takes about 30 ml of adipose tissue through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh; stitches are not needed.
Processing in a centrifuge
The sample goes into a centrifuge and separates into layers; next, 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
We inject the prepared material right into the affected joint, guided by ultrasound so that it is placed precisely.
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
First comes an examination of the joint and a look at your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound; then the doctor decides whether the procedure fits your case. Existing scans can be sent before the visit.
Blood sample for PRP
A small amount of blood is taken from a vein. Platelet-rich plasma with growth factors is later prepared from it.
The doctor tells you in advance which tests are needed.
Adipose tissue sample
The doctor numbs the area with local anaesthetic and takes about 30 ml of adipose tissue through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh; stitches are not needed.
Processing in a centrifuge
The sample goes into a centrifuge and separates into layers; next, 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
We inject the prepared material right into the affected joint, guided by ultrasound so that it is placed precisely.
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
The doctor uses follow-up visits to check the joint's response and adjust the plan — typically pain eases during the first month, movement gets better over about three months and the full effect develops across around six months.
Conditions we treat
After an examination and a look at your scans, a doctor decides if the treatment is right for 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 raised temperature (fever), a cold or flu, or 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
After the procedure most patients leave the same day and resume ordinary daily activity within a day or two, with small dressings on the puncture sites. Slightly more aching in the joint during the first week is an expected reaction. Pain generally eases in the first month, mobility and activity get better over about three months, and the full effect develops over roughly six months. Duration varies from one person to another depending on the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and other factors — nobody can promise a set outcome. If a rheumatologist is treating you, talk to them before you stop any prescribed medication.
Why patients choose City Medical Centre
Your own joint stays: we work on keeping it rather than replacing it — treatment without surgery
Your own tissue
Only material from your body — your blood and adipose tissue — and nothing synthetic or from a donor
No crutches
Under local anaesthetic, through punctures instead of incisions, with no long rehabilitation afterwards
Second opinion
A doctor independently assesses the X-rays, MRI or reports you send — free of charge
Support after the procedure
After the injection day we stay in touch and keep following the result
Arthritis treatment prices
The cost depends on the joint, the type of arthritis and the method, so 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?
Joint inflammation defines arthritis. It typically brings pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness that lasts more than 30 minutes, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint. Autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, infections, gout and psoriasis can all lead to it.
Can PRP help with rheumatoid arthritis?
PRP is sometimes used in rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthritis to help reduce pain, swelling and local inflammation, since the growth factors released by platelets influence tissue repair and the immune response. It complements your rheumatologist's treatment rather than replacing it.
Can psoriatic arthritis be cured?
Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic disease that currently cannot be cured completely. The goal is a long remission — keeping inflammation under control and preventing joint deformity — and regenerative injections can be one part of that plan.
How does SVF work in autoimmune arthritis?
SVF contains cells that can modulate the local immune response and support the repair of damaged tissue in the joint. Research in this area is ongoing, so the doctor will discuss realistic expectations for your type of arthritis.
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?
In knee arthritis the inflammation comes from an autoimmune reaction, infection or gout: the knee is red, warm, markedly swollen and tender to touch. Osteoarthritis, by contrast, is cartilage wear, usually felt as a dry crunch and aching pain when moving.
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. Pregnancy is a contraindication to joint injections, including PRP and SVF. Arthritis treatment during pregnancy is decided only together with a rheumatologist and an obstetrician.
Can I get a second opinion on my tests and scans?
Yes. Send us the results of your X-rays, MRI, ultrasound or blood tests: a doctor reviews them free of charge and tells you if regenerative treatment could suit your type of arthritis.
What happens if rheumatoid arthritis is not treated?
If it is not treated, it may cause permanent deformity of the joint, loss of function, osteoporosis and damage to internal organs — the heart, lungs and kidneys among them. Treating it in time helps prevent these complications.
City Medical Centre licences
Other services at our clinic
Arthritis in Yokohama: from diagnosis to follow-up
PRP and SVF can help reduce inflammation and pain and support the tissues inside the joint. For patients from Yokohama with systemic disease, they complement, but do not replace, care from a rheumatologist.
Pain usually eases over the first month, and mobility improves over about three months. For patients from Yokohama, the full effect develops over around six months, and its duration differs from person to person.
Joint inflammation that does not settle? Book a free consultation in Yokohama: the doctor reviews your case and suggests whether PRP or SVF makes sense now. The price is set individually.
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