Spring/Summer 2012 Aesculapian Magazine - University of Georgia ...

Photo by Flint Buchanan
get consistent results,
the process then moves
to further trials which
ultimately will benefit
animals and humans.”
“Fracture repair in
animals is really, really
vital because they are not
good patients,” continues
Peroni. “You can’t tell an
animal not to walk around
on a fracture repair.
I am very optimistic
about applications of this in the veterinary field as it may
expedite healing so that recovery times and treatment costs
can be substantially decreased.”
For Dr. Ulrike M. Korte, an internist in human
medicine practicing in Alpharetta, a PRP treatment
combined with stem cell injections were recommended
for her horse, Liberty, in October 2010. Liberty was lame
due to a problem in his right leg flexor tendon. She took
Liberty to the UGA Teaching Hospital, where Peroni spoke
to her about the different types of treatment involving RM.
“Dr. Peroni was excellent at explaining the process,”
says Korte. “There is a huge commitment to this treatment
and it is important to know what you are getting into in
terms of timing and
Lindsey Helms Boone
(DVM ’08), a graduate
student, works in
Peroni’s stem cell lab.
Photo by Sue Myers Smith
rehabilitation. But,
to have this type of
treatment available
is awesome and I
am convinced it is
going to help a lot of
animals. This is only
the beginning.”
In a routine
follow-up with an
ultrasound four
weeks after the
treatment, Liberty
had experienced a
nearly full recovery,
and following
several months of
Dr. John Peroni collects blood from a
horse. After it is collected, the blood will
be transferred to the laboratory for the
preparation of Platelet Rich Plasma.
rehabilitation, Liberty is now being ridden again.
Liberty is just one example of the positive impact
of RM, but there are other potential benefits of stem cell
therapy that are constantly being studied. Areas that Peroni
and the other UGA RMS researchers are investigating
right now range from studies of logistics, including the
best way to transport stem cells, to investigating the antiinflammatory
effects of MSCs. Peroni explains that most
diseases and injuries result in significant inflammation and
that stem cells have been shown to reduce inflammation in
a biological way without using medications.
“Using stem cells to modulate inflammation is a
realistic goal to accomplish relatively quickly,” says Peroni.
The impact of cellular therapies in animals is
significant. Taken together, cell products or blood-derived
products may complement traditional therapies, with the
end result being a faster and improved healing process.
The quicker veterinary patients can return to functioning
normally, the better. This can lead to a decreased financial
burden on animal owners and an increase in the quality
of life for both owners and their animals. Additionally,
by improving the quality of tissue healing with these
treatments, it’s less likely the animal will hurt itself again,
which is vital to return them to normal functioning.
And, all of these research implications translate from
animals to humans.
“It is important to remember that stem cells are
cross-species and this is not a veterinary-specific branch of
science,” Peroni concludes. “It is wide-spread and not only
about horses. There are lots of human applications.”
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