Medically reviewed by the Celva medical team · June 2026
Before you
accept a hip
replacement.
Hip osteoarthritis and labral degeneration frequently respond to precision-delivered MSC therapy when caught before end-stage joint-space collapse. Whether your case qualifies is a physician decision made against your imaging.
Hip OA, labral tears, and accelerated degeneration after impingement or injury.
Hip response trends a little slower than knee. Peak 4–6 months.
A well-evaluated hip
has options.
The hip is deep, well-vascularized, and forgiving of precision-delivered biologics when structure is still largely intact. When the femoral head has collapsed or joint space is fully obliterated, it isn't.
Patients who do best typically arrive with moderate radiographic OA, a labral tear, or post-impingement degeneration. Conservative care has plateaued; injections haven't held. An arthritic hip rarely sits on its own: the surrounding stabilizers, tendons, and capsule are usually strained too, and we treat the whole joint, not only the cartilage.
We evaluate imaging carefully before recommending anything. Avascular necrosis, advanced bone collapse, and end-stage joint-space loss are not strong MSC cases and we'll say so directly.
Moderate hip OA with preserved joint space
Kellgren–Lawrence II or III. Cartilage loss without full collapse.
Labral degeneration, post-FAI drift
Labral tears, femoroacetabular impingement sequelae, post-surgical hips that never settled.
Avascular necrosis with collapse
AVN with subchondral collapse generally needs surgical reconstruction. Grade IV OA with bone-on-bone contact is case-by-case; expected response is lower, and we'll still consider treating you if you want to delay or avoid hip replacement.
Hip conditions
the physician team evaluates.
Hip OA (I–III)
Early to moderate hip osteoarthritis with partial joint-space preservation and no subchondral collapse.
- Grade II–III strongest
- Weight-bearing imaging read
- Femoral head integrity confirmed
Labral degeneration
Degenerative labral tears and post-repair hips that remain symptomatic despite conservative care.
- Degenerative tears
- Post-arthroscopy residuals
- Low-grade cartilage wear
FAI & early degeneration
Femoroacetabular impingement sequelae and accelerated drift after prior hip events.
- CAM / Pincer pathology
- Early cartilage wear
- Refractory groin pain
Fluoroscopic
intra-articular delivery.
The hip is deep. It requires image guidance. Every hip injection at Celva is done under fluoroscopy with contrast confirmation before cells are released.
Joint cases like yours use bone-marrow and umbilical-cord MSCs, often in combination and sometimes with chondrocytes for cartilage support. The exact recipe, which cells, what doses, which routes, is decided by Celva's medical team after reviewing your imaging. Matched to your case, not pulled off a shelf. Why we use multiple cell types →
Procedure runs under local anesthetic and twilight sedation. A comfortable, still patient lets the physician place the cells precisely, where pain or guarding could get in the way. Most patients walk out same day and travel home the following morning.
We treat the whole hip, not just the joint surface. Alongside the intra-articular dose, we address the gluteal tendons and stabilizers around the hip that drive much of the pain. The first days usually bring soreness rather than instant relief; that's the healing response at work, and the signaling builds over weeks.
Imaging review
MRI and X-ray with weight-bearing films. Read by attending physician.
Dose & route
Intra-articular dose, possible IV adjunct, and whether a second session at six months fits your case.
Fluoroscopic injection
Contrast confirms capsular position before release. Image-guided placement, non-negotiable for the hip.
Systemic IV
A second MSC dose via IV in the infusion suite. Circulating cells are drawn toward inflammation and migrate toward the hip we just injected, reinforcing the local repair while calming inflammation body-wide.
Scoring & check-ins
We score HOOS and VAS at baseline, then at 4, 8, and 12 months, with a lighter pain-and-safety check around six weeks. Repeat imaging on return for re-treatment.
Hip response
trends slower.
Soft tissue settles
Post-injection soreness resolves. Baseline pain often unchanged.
Measurable change
Hip function begins improving. Stairs, socks, side-sleeping, functional markers shift first.
Peak window
Most patients reach best-achieved improvement between four and six months.
Durability
Our clinical follow-up shows many hip patients hold improvement for one to three years, and often longer, with attention to loading and activity.
The hip's deep position and weight-bearing load mean earlier wins are uncommon. Stability of load-bearing activity is the signal to watch at 90 days.
Avascular necrosis with collapse and severe dysplasia generally need surgical reconstruction; we'll recommend a surgeon we trust. Grade IV OA with bone-on-bone contact is case-by-case: expected response is lower, but if you want to delay or avoid hip replacement, we'll still consider treating you after a frank conversation about what to expect.
Hip-specific
questions.
Q.01Can MSC therapy avoid hip replacement?
Q.02Why fluoroscopic guidance and not ultrasound?
Q.03How long before I can return to activity?
Q.04Does insurance cover this?
Other joint regions
we treat.
Start with a
real read.
A hip consult is a physician reading your imaging and telling you plainly whether MSC therapy fits your case. If it doesn't, we'll say so.