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Stem Cell Staging and Procedures

The California Stem Cell Treatment Center (C.S.C.T.C.)

CSCTC mission: To advance cell technology in order to improve the body’s ability to regenerate.

ROCK Institute is the Orange County Staging Center for the California Stem Cell Treatment Center, we provide care for people suffering from diseases that may be alleviated by access to adult stem cell based regenerative treatment. The Center utilizes a fat transfer surgical technology to isolate and implant the patient’s own stem cells from a small quantity of fat harvested by liposuction on the same day. Patients who seek care at the California Stem Cell Treatment Center are evaluated by a respective member of our multispecialty expert panel of Board Certified physicians representing many medical fields. The California Stem Cell Treatment Center emphasizes quality and is highly committed to clinical research and the advancement of regenerative medicine.

CSCTC was founded in 2010 for the investigational use of stem cells deployments for degenerative conditions. The source of the cells is actually stromal vascular fraction which is a protein rich segment of processed adipose tissue. Stromal vascular fraction contains a mononuclear cell line (predominantly autologous mesenchymal stem cells), macrophage cells, endothelial cells, red blood cells, and important growth factors that turn on the stem cells and promote their activity. We have high numbers of viable cells and we are trying to learn which diseases respond best and which deployment methods are most effective. We are growing and continue to use our surgical methods to deploy SVF for various degenerative conditions. CSCTC employs a clinical research coordinator to protect our valuable data and our vision is to perfect our treatments and ultimately teach them to other physicians around the world.

 

CSCTC Physician Team

Elliot B. LanderElliot B. Lander
Medical Director CSCTC

Elliot B. Lander, M.D.F.A.C.S. is a Board-Certified Surgeon. He was born in Los Angeles, California. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Occidental College with Distinction in Biochemistry. He attended medical school at the University of California, Irvine. For six years after medical school, Dr. Lander studied General Surgery and then Urologic Surgery at the University of California, Irvine. He was a Clinical Assistant Professor of Urology at the same institution while in practice at a large HMO in Orange County for five years. During that time he was active in teaching residents and doing research. He has many publications in the urologic literature.

Dr. Lander has been elected as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He has served as Chief of Urology at Eisenhower Medical Center and Chief of Surgery at John F. Kennedy Hospital. Dr. Lander has been on staff at Eisenhower for fourteen years. He is also an Expert Reviewer for the California Medical Board. Dr. Lander is currently involved in cutting edge urologic stem cell treatment research and is a member of the International Cellular Medicine Society, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to patient safety and education regarding the medical use of adult stem cells. Dr. Lander specializes in Male Hormone Replacement and has developed special protocols to administer male hormones safely in men with a history of prostate cancer.

Mark Berman, MD, FACSMark Berman, MD, FACS
Co-Medical Director CSCTC

Dr. Berman, the 2010 President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, has been in private practice in the West Los Angeles area since 1983 and has been practicing in the Desert Area since 2003. Dr. Berman graduated from UCLA prior to completing medical school at the Chicago Medical School. He is a clinical instructor in facial plastic surgery through the University of Southern California.

Dr. Berman is a Diplomate with the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery). He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Los Angeles Magazine has named him one of the Top Doctors in Southern California.

Dr. Berman is well known for his work with stem cell / fat grafting to restore three-dimensional volume to the aging face. This has led him to his work with adipose derived stem cells. He is also known as a pioneer in the use of Gore-Tex materials in cosmetic surgery. He holds a patent on an e-PTFE breast implant device – the Pocket Protector – used to improve breast augmentation surgery. He has also authored a novel – Substance of Abuse – a controversial sexy thriller that suggests a solution to the war on drugs. Dr. Berman and his wife, Saralee, have one son, Sean, two dogs and two turtles.

Jon Braslow, MDJon Braslow, MD

Jonathan S. Braslow M.D., an orthopedic surgeon who has practiced at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital for over a decade, is the medical director of the hospital’s Arthritis Institute. He specializes in arthritis treatment, particularly knee replacements, and has a breadth of experience in the development and design of joint replacements.

Dr. Braslow’s extensive experience in joint replacement includes his designing and developing a number of products, including the Implex Hedrocel Unicompartmental Knee Replacement for Implex Corporation, the Genus Unicompartmental Knee Replacement for BioMet, and the Knee Ligament Surgery Instrumentation and Reconstruction Techniques for De Puy Corp. and Osteonics. He serves on the international development team for Zimmer Corporation, one of the largest manufacturers of orthopedic implants, working on the next generation of partial replacements incorporating trabecular type metal.

Dr. Braslow has received license and certifications from the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons. He is recognized as a Qualified Medical Examiner in Orthopedics and a Radiology Supervisor/Operator in Fluoroscopy by the State of California. Past appointments include Governing Board Member of John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital (1996-99) and as the hospital’s Chief of Surgery (1994-96). He is also a member of a number of professional associations, including the California Medical Association, the California Orthopedic Association and the Medical Board of California, among others.

Graduating with honors from the University of California, Riverside, where he received a B.A., he went on to earn his M.D. at the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Braslow then went on to complete his residency at the University of Southern California Medical Center in Los Angeles where he received the award for Outstanding Senior Resident.

A California native, Dr. Braslow was born on Catalina Island in the city of Avalon in May 1947. He and his wife currently reside in Indio with their two daughters, Jacqueline and Juliet.

Jackie R. See, MD, FACCJackie R. See, MD, FACC

Jackie R. See M.D., F.A.C.C. is a Board Certified Internist, a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and pioneer of the specialty of Interventional Cardiology. He founded the teaching program of Interventional Cardiology at the UC Irvine School of Medicine with Jonathan Tobis M.D., F.A.C.C. and Walter Henry M.D., F.A.C.C., prior Dean of the UC Irvine School of Medicine. He is currently the elected Co-President of his alma mater, the UC Irvine College of Medicine Alumni Association.

He was born in Missouri and earned his undergraduate degree at UC Riverside. After graduation from medical school and completion of his Internship he served on active duty as a Medical Officer in the United States Navy. This was followed by Residency and Cardiology Fellowship at the Huntington Memorial Hospital and Research Fellowship in Medicine at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston. Dr. See has served as Chief of Staff, Vice-Chief of Staff, Chief of Medicine, Chief of Cardiology, Cath Lab Director and other elected Medical Staff positions at Southern California and Nevada Hospitals. He has been on the Medical Staff of the Western Medical Center, Anaheim, from 1983 to the present.

Dr. See has published in peer reviewed journals, lectured, invented, patented, developed and marketed enabling technology in digital angiograpthy, angioplasty and ultrasound devices and pharmaceuticals, cholesterol lowering dietary supplements, drug eluting stents, MRI and CT imaging agents, liposomal drug delivery systems, oral vaccine development, stem cell biologic pathway activity, stem cell delivery quantitation devices and Islet Cell Transplantation development. He is a Founding member of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, member of the International Liposome Society, Alpha Omega Alpha Society member, member of the Society of Echocardiography and other special interest groups.

Dr. See has been a Scientific Advisor for many biotechnology companies and has participated in dozens of clinical trials in cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This has been done while engaged in maintaining an active practice of medicine continually since 1976. He is an active member of the California and Orange County Medical Association.

Dr. See, his wife of 42 years, three sons and seven grandchildren share their gratitude of the endless opportunities we enjoy by living in America.

Timothy T. Davis MD, DABPMR, DABPM, DABNMTimothy T. Davis 
MD, DABPMR, DABPM, DABNM

Timothy T Davis, MD is Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Physiatry) and Pain Medicine. He is an expert in spine and musculoskeletal disorders. He has performed extensive research using growth proteins and other biological therapies such as stem cells to repair damaged spinal discs.

Dr. Davis is originally from Lake of the Ozarks Missouri, and attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine 6 year Program, graduating with a combined BA/MD at 24 years of age. After earning his medical degree, Dr. Davis completed his surgical internship at Ochsner Medical Foundation in New Orleans, Louisiana. He then completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center. During his residency, he was a member of the spinal cord injury team at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, where he received extensive training in the management of acute and chronic spinal injuries.

Dr. Davis has given dozens of peer reviewed presentations nationally and internationally, has been published in several journals, and routinely gives educational lectures to other physicians across the country on spine and musculoskeletal treatments.

Dr. Davis has been recognized as a “Top Doctor” by US News and World Reports, and has received the Patients’ Choice and Compassionate Doctor Recognition awards.
Dr. Davis is on medical staff at Saint John’s Health Center and Cedars Sinai Medical Center. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Academy of Pain Medicine, North American Neuromodulation Society, and International Spine Intervention Society.

Pre-Operative Stem Cell Harvesting and Deployment Instructions

Please follow these instructions as indicated. If anything is unclear, please feel free to contact us, for further information.

Rancho Mirage office number: (760) 346-0145
Beverly Hills office number: (310) 274.2039
Toll-free number: (800) 231-0407

NO aspirin, aspirin products, or blood thinners are to be taken 7 days prior to your stem cell treatment procedure. The following is a list of products which contain aspirin or blood thinning properties:

  • ALL brands of aspirin
  • Motrin
  • Advil
  • Excedrin
  • Alka Seltzer
  • Theraflu
  • Pepto-Bismol
  • Plavix
  • Coumadin

If you are not sure about medication that you are taking, please consult a pharmacist.
The day of your appointment for the stem cell deployment, take a shower. Wash all areas of your body thoroughly.
Wear loose, baggy or sweat pants and a comfortable top.
There are no dietary restrictions either before or after your stem cell procedure. However, no alcohol should be consumed 8 hours prior to your visit and a light meal rather than a heavy one is preferable before the procedure.

The Procedure

A “mini” liposuction procedure to harvest stem cells is done in our surgical facility under local anesthetic. You will be asked lie on the exam table and a small area of your abdomen is exposed. Iodine soap is used to clean the harvesting site and sterile drapes are placed over you to help prevent infection. You’re given injections of anesthetic into your skin to prevent you from feeling pain. Once the anesthetic takes effect, the doctor makes a small puncture and removes some fat with a suction device. You may feel a pulling sensation during this process. The procedure takes about 20 minutes. The puncture heals naturally without stitches.

After the Procedure

In general, your post-stem cell treatment period should be marked by modified physical activity for 48 hours. DO NOT engage in any strenuous activity, heavy lifting, or athletics for a period of seven days. Your physician may give you additional specific instructions on activity depending on what type of stem cell deployment you had.
Strictly avoid any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (e.g., Motrin, Advil, etc.) for 2-weeks after your stem cell injections.
It is advisable to have someone available to drive you home if possible.
Any discomfort you feel is usually very mild. If you need it, an over-the-counter pain reliever may help.
Place an ice pack on your liposuction harvest site if there is any discomfort.
A slight amount of bruising and swelling is expected.
After 48 hours, you may shower the incisions.
When to Call Your Doctor
Call California Stem Cell Treatment Center at (760) 346-0145 or
(310) 274-2039, if you notice any of the following after surgery:

Increasing pain or swelling in your harvesting area
A large black-and-blue area, or a growing lump
Fever or chills
Increasing redness or drainage of the incision
Bleeding from the puncture

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