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Cell Therapy for Joints in Bochum

SVF cell therapy and PRP for knees, hips, shoulders and other joints — with a free scan review before you decide anything

Consultation and review of your scansFree

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Knee joint: regenerative treatment without surgery
Joint treatment without surgery. Free consultation and review of your scans

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What it is

What is regenerative
joint treatment?

The treatment is regenerative and uses only what your body supplies: PRP (platelet-rich plasma from the blood) and SVF (the stromal vascular fraction from a small piece of adipose tissue). Injected into the joint that hurts, it aims to calm inflammation, ease pain and support the tissue within.

  • No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
  • Own tissue — your blood and adipose tissue
  • Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Knee joint: an injection under ultrasound guidance

Who the treatment suits

Your suitability for the treatment is decided by a doctor following an examination and a scan review

Suitable

A doctor reviews knee X-rays with a patient
  • Pain, crunching or stiffness in a joint
  • Painkillers only help for a short time
  • Recovery after injuries and surgery
  • You need a second opinion on your scans
  • You want to avoid or postpone joint replacement
  • Early or moderate arthrosis or arthritis
  • High load on the joints — sport or physical work

Not suitable

A doctor examines a patient's knee
  • Cancer
  • Pregnancy
  • Blood clotting disorders
  • Acute infections, including infection in or near the joint
  • Flare-up of a serious chronic illness
  • Temporary contraindications: fever, flu or a cold, skin inflammation over the joint being treated

Not sure the treatment is right for you?

Leave your number — the coordinator will ask for your scans (X-ray, MRI or ultrasound), and the doctor will tell you whether treatment without surgery suits you.

Find out if it suits me

What we treat

Conditions we treat

How it works

How the procedure goes: step by step

Consultation and scan review1

Consultation and scan review

The doctor examines your joint, looks at your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound and decides whether the procedure is right for you. Scans you already have can be sent ahead of the visit.

Blood sample for PRP2

Blood sample for PRP

The nurse takes a small amount of venous blood; platelet-rich plasma with growth factors is prepared from it afterwards.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

Under local anaesthetic the doctor takes roughly 30 ml of adipose tissue through a small puncture in the abdomen or inner thigh; stitches are not needed.

Processing in a centrifuge4

Processing in a centrifuge

Spinning the sample in a centrifuge separates it into layers, after which the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and added to the platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

Under ultrasound guidance, the ready material goes directly into the affected joint, so it can be placed accurately.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

No stay in hospital and no crutches are needed. The doctor stays in touch after the procedure to see how the joint responds.

Book a consultation

Call or message us — our coordinator will contact you shortly and book your consultation

A doctor talks with a patient about joint treatment
Book a consultation
A doctor talks with a patient about joint treatment

Results

After the procedure

  • Doctor talking warmly with a patient after the procedure

    1 week

    The joint may ache a little more — this is an expected reaction.

  • Doctor consulting an older patient one month after treatment

    1 month

    The pain usually eases.

  • Doctor explaining progress to a patient using a knee joint model

    ~3 months

    Mobility and activity improve.

  • Doctor and patient walking together at a follow-up visit

    ~6 months

    The full effect develops.

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.

Comparison

Methods we use

We rely solely on your own blood and adipose tissue, without donor or synthetic material

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

Processing a small sample of adipose tissue yields the stromal vascular fraction (SVF), a blend of cells that help tissue repair. The doctor combines it with your plasma and injects it into the problem joint.

A doctor explains SVF cell therapy for the knee to a patient on a tablet

It is typically chosen for more pronounced joint changes, with a longer-lasting result in mind.

Material
Your adipose tissue and plasma
How it is given
Into the joint, under ultrasound
Duration
The whole procedure is done in one day.

PRP — platelet-rich plasma from your own blood

Your blood, in a small amount, is used to separate plasma rich in platelets and growth factors. This plasma is injected into the joint to help calm inflammation and support tissue repair.

A doctor explains PRP therapy for joints to a patient on a monitor

Used by itself as an injection course, or together with SVF.

Material
Your blood from a vein
How it is given
Into the joint, under ultrasound
Duration
The whole procedure is done in one day.

The benefits and timings shown are averaged and given for guidance: the plan and recovery depend on your joint and individual features, and the doctor confirms them at the consultation.

At the consultation the doctor will review your scans and suggest a treatment plan

Free consultation

Book a consultation

Joints

Joints we treat

We treat large and small joints — which joint, which method and how many injections is decided by the doctor after a scan review

  • KneeKneeCartilage wear, meniscus issues, pain after walking and on stairs
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderPain when you raise your arm, worn joint and surrounding tendons
  • ElbowElbowPain after overuse or sports strain, wear of the joint surfaces
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsPainful, stiff small joints of the fingers and the wrist
  • AnkleAnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries

Advantages

Why patients choose City Medical Centre

No surgery: our work is about keeping your own joint, not swapping it for an implant

Your own tissue

Your own tissue

We rely solely on your own blood and adipose tissue, without donor or synthetic material

No crutches

No crutches

No long rehabilitation: punctures instead of incisions, done under local anaesthetic

Second opinion

Second opinion

Send your X-rays, MRI or reports and a doctor will give an independent assessment free of charge

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

Beyond the day of the injection, we keep in touch after the procedure and follow your result

About the clinic

A clinic where you can feel at ease

Modern equipment, comfortable rooms and care for every patient

A doctor and a patient at the clinic

Contact us the way that suits you

We will answer your questions and find a convenient time for a consultation

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Request a free call

Price

Joint treatment prices

The joint, the method and the stage of the condition determine the cost, so it is set after the consultation

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Other services of our clinic

How SVF and PRP therapy works for Bochum residents

Joint treatment in Bochum is built around keeping your own joint. Instead of a long rehabilitation after surgery, you get injections under local anaesthetic, no crutches and no hospital stay, and the doctor stays in touch afterwards.

It starts with a consultation: the doctor examines the joint and reviews your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound. Then a small blood sample and an adipose tissue sample are taken, processed in a centrifuge and injected into the joint under ultrasound guidance. For patients from Bochum, everything is done in one day.

A consultation is the first step for every patient from Bochum. It is free, and after it you know the method, the number of injections and the cost.

Ruhrhöhen slopes and what they ask of knees and hips

Bochum is described as lying on the flat-hilly Bochumer Landrücken, also called the Ruhrhöhen. The Ruhr runs to the south of the city and the Emscher to the north. The city sits at about 100 m above sea level (NHN). Its highest point is 196 m, in the district of Stiepel, and its lowest is 43 m, in Blumenkamp in Hordel. That is a difference of roughly 153 m within one municipality, which stretches 13.0 km from north to south and 17.1 km from east to west.

These numbers describe terrain, not diagnoses. Still, a joint that is already worn usually reports its limits on gradients and steps. Climbing puts load on the knee and hip, and walking downhill loads them again in a different way. The joint descriptions we work from list knee pain when climbing stairs or after walking, groin pain with limited rotation in the hip, and aching in the ankle after sprains and old injuries. If you recognise these signs on ordinary slopes and steps, that is a reason to have the joint assessed, not to wait.

Regenerative treatment is aimed at people who want to postpone or avoid joint replacement. PRP comes from a small sample of your own blood. SVF, the stromal vascular fraction, is isolated from a small sample of your own adipose tissue. The material is injected into the affected joint under ultrasound guidance. The chance of a lasting effect is higher at earlier stages, and the doctor judges the stage from your scans, so the first step is to send them.

Cool, damp months and the joint that stiffens

Measurements for Bochum (DWD data, 2015–2020) show a mean daily maximum of 5.6 °C in January and a mean daily minimum of 1.2 °C. The year brings 866 mm of precipitation over 195 rainy days. December is the wettest month with 93 mm, and mean relative humidity is 77.7% over the year. Sunshine is scarce in winter: 1.3 hours a day in December and 1.5 hours in January, against 7.0 hours in July, when the mean daily maximum is 24.7 °C.

We do not claim that weather causes osteoarthritis. It is gradual wear of the cartilage at the ends of the bones, a degenerative condition. But long damp stretches change how much people move, and a joint that feels stiffer in winter is worth describing precisely. A short diary helps the doctor: when the pain appears, whether it is there at rest or at night, and how long morning stiffness lasts.

The pattern matters because osteoarthritis and arthritis are different conditions with different approaches. In osteoarthritis you typically feel aching pain on movement, crunching and stiffness after rest. Arthritis is inflammation. Its typical signs are pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, swelling, and redness and warmth over the joint. The diagnosis comes first, and your diary and scans help to establish it.

Joint wear in Germany: the numbers behind the decision

About five million people in Germany have osteoarthritis (Arthrose). In 2016 about 400,000 hip and knee replacement operations (Endoprothetik) were performed. Bochum has 358,880 inhabitants and belongs to the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area of 5,166,484 people, so questions about joints are far from rare here.

Replacement is a major operation. After an uncomplicated hip replacement the inpatient stay is about six to eight days in most clinics, and follow-up rehabilitation is arranged during the stay. Replacement also carries risks such as infection, and implants may eventually need to be redone. For early or moderate changes it often makes sense to try to preserve your own joint first. For a joint that is already badly damaged, replacement may be the more realistic option, and the doctor will say so openly after seeing your scans.

Our regenerative approach works with early and moderate osteoarthritis and arthritis, meniscus problems, recovery after injuries and surgery, and early stages of avascular necrosis. For avascular necrosis of the hip, SVF therapy may be considered at stages 1–2 to support the blood supply to the femoral head and delay the need for replacement. At later stages surgery is usually required. Bochum also has nine universities or university branches, and Ruhr-Universität Bochum alone had 37,653 students in winter semester 2025/26. Younger people who are active in sport sometimes need an assessment after injury as well, and meniscus damage is one reason to send an MRI.

Insurance and joint care: what to clarify before deciding

In Germany about 92% of the population is covered by statutory health insurance. As of 2024 about 88% of the working population is insured through statutory funds and about 11% privately. Those figures say who is insured, not what each fund will reimburse for a specific injection method.

We cannot state in advance whether your insurer will contribute to PRP or SVF therapy, because that depends on your insurer and your policy. The practical step is to ask the insurer directly, in writing, and to keep the answer. The consultation and the review of your scans are free and carry no obligation to book anything, so you can collect the doctor's assessment before you ask.

A survey from 2010 reported that 70% of Germans waited less than one month for elective surgery. It is an old figure and we mention it only as background. A short wait for an operation does not answer the question of whether you could try to avoid that operation first. A second opinion on your X-rays, MRI, CT or reports is free of charge, and it tells you whether the procedure could suit you and what else may be needed.

Preparing for an online consultation, and planning around the calendar

The consultation takes place online, and coordinators reply on WhatsApp and Telegram round the clock. Send what you already have: X-ray, MRI or ultrasound images, and written reports. The coordinator asks for the scans, and the doctor tells you whether treatment without surgery suits you. If the reports are in German, send them as they are. Add your own notes on the weather-related changes, on stairs and slopes, and on which painkillers help and for how long.

The procedure itself is done in one day. Blood is taken from a vein, and under local anaesthetic the doctor takes roughly 30 ml of adipose tissue through a small puncture in the abdomen or inner thigh, with no stitches. A centrifuge separates the sample, the SVF is mixed with PRP, and the material is injected under ultrasound guidance. There is no hospital stay and no crutches. A week afterwards the joint may ache a little more, which is an expected reaction. After about a month pain usually eases, after about 3 months mobility and activity improve, and after about 6 months the full effect develops. These timings are averages, and no one can promise a fixed result.

Some contraindications are temporary: skin inflammation over the joint, a fever, a cold or flu. In Bochum's damp months, with December the wettest at 93 mm, a cold may be a reason to move the date, and your coordinator will help you rearrange it. Calendar events matter only for the load afterwards. Bochum Total, the free open-air festival usually held on the first July weekend, and the Christmas market, which runs through December in the downtown area, both involve long standing and walking. After the procedure the doctor gives load and exercise recommendations for the first weeks, so ask about them while you plan your dates.

Do the hills around Bochum make knee osteoarthritis worse?

Terrain does not cause osteoarthritis, which is gradual wear of cartilage. But a worn knee tends to show its limits on slopes and steps, because climbing and descending load it. If you feel pain on stairs or after walking, send your scans for review. The doctor will assess the stage and say whether PRP or SVF could suit you.

Is damp, cold weather a reason to postpone the procedure?

Weather itself is not a contraindication. A fever, a cold, flu or skin inflammation over the joint are temporary contraindications, and in a wet winter they are easy to pick up. If you become unwell, tell the coordinator and the date can be moved.

Will my statutory health insurance cover this treatment?

We cannot say, because it depends on your insurer and your policy. About 92% of people in Germany are covered by statutory insurance, but that does not settle individual reimbursement for an injection method. Ask your insurer in writing. The doctor's consultation and the review of your scans are free.

My reports are in German. Can I send them as they are?

Yes. X-rays, MRI, CT images and medical reports are reviewed by a doctor free of charge. Send them to the coordinator on WhatsApp or Telegram. You will hear whether the procedure could suit you and whether anything else is needed.

I was told I need a hip replacement. Is it worth a second opinion?

It can be. In Germany about 400,000 hip and knee replacements were done in 2016, and replacement is a major operation with a hospital stay of about six to eight days after an uncomplicated hip operation. At early stages, injections combined with exercise therapy and physiotherapy may reduce pain and improve movement. For a badly damaged joint, replacement may be more realistic, and the doctor will tell you honestly after the scans.

Can I plan the procedure around Bochum Total or the Christmas market?

Yes, but think about load rather than the event itself. Both mean long periods on your feet. The procedure is done in one day, and the doctor gives load and exercise recommendations for the first weeks. Share your dates with the coordinator. A week after the injection the joint may ache a little more, which is expected.

How do I tell arthritis from osteoarthritis before the consultation?

Osteoarthritis brings aching pain on movement, crunching and stiffness after rest. Arthritis is inflammation, with pain at rest and at night, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint, and morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes. Note which signs you have, but leave the diagnosis to the doctor, because the approach differs.

Which joints can be treated?

The doctor can treat large and small joints: knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, the joints of the hand and wrist, and the ankle. The doctor settles the joint, the method and the number of injections after checking your scans.