The 17th Belgrade International Symposium on Pain (BISOP) was held in Belgrade in mid-May, which traditionally brings together leading national and international experts in the field of anesthesiology and pain treatment. Numerous lectures and presentations related to those medical fields were presented during this year’s symposium, with special emphasis on regenerative medicine in the treatment of chronic pain.
The opening speech was made by the doctors Nebojša Knežević and Dušica Stamenković, who spoke about the latest knowledge about the role of genetic component in chronic pain management, as well as the postoperative course and postoperative pain management. During the same session, doctor Katarina Mladenović presented basic concepts of regenerative medicine, which were further explained in detail by doctor Džihan Abazović, with examples from practice and advice for their wider clinical application.
“Regenerative medicine is a new field that aims not just to treat desease symptoms, but also to eliminate the cause itself and restore the body. The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cells are the most frequently applied therapeutic procedures, and the advantage of this method is reflected in the fact that PRP is obtained from blood and/or bone marrow of the patient, and is therefore completely safe, since the possibility of any rejection reaction is ruled out“, said doctor Abazović.
The most common chronic pain conditions that can be treated with regenerative medicine methods are various degenerative changes in the bone-joint system, such as osteoarthritis, disc herniations, tendon and ligament injuries. All participants agreed that regenerative medicine has great potential for alleviating pain caused by peripheral nerve damage and spasticity. Application of these therapeutic methods is also possible in other fields of medicine such as gynecology, cardiology, orthopedics, as well as aesthetic medicine.
The conclusion of the 17th BISOP is that regenerative medicine is a rapidly developing field that, due to its potential to enable complete healing, aspires to become a leading strategy in everyday clinical practice.