But while cases like Kaiba's are a medical boon, both Terzic and the UM researchers stress that this and other regenerative procedures must be replicated in a wider patient population.

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Doctors then use the SVF cells for treatment of various ailments, from regenerative cosmetic procedures to repairing tissues involving damaged knees, back injuries, migraine headaches, and multiple sclerosis.

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The implants in the procedures were grown in bioreactors developed by the regenerative medicine device business of Harvard Bioscience.

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Most of these burgeoning technologies are not yet ready for widespread implantation, and the cost of regenerative medicine at this early juncture is often much higher than conventional procedures.

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