Ultrasound-guided PRP and bone marrow concentrate for orthopedic injury, across seven clinics in six states
David Crane opened Bluetail Medical Group in 2008, three years after starting Crane Clinic Sports Medicine in St. Louis. The practice does non-operative sports medicine and orthopedics: platelet-rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate concentrate, and prolotherapy, placed with ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance rather than by landmark. What makes the group unusual for this corner of the market is the paperwork. Bluetail holds an active investigational new drug application with the FDA, IND #27390, covering bone marrow concentrate for knee osteoarthritis, and says it is pursuing more INDs for other orthopedic conditions. Its own site carries the FDA's June 2021 warning about stem cell clinics making unsupported claims, and the physicians have published outcome data on knee osteoarthritis and on elbow ligament injuries in throwing athletes. The workup starts before you see a doctor. Imaging of the damaged area is ordered up front so the physician can judge whether they can help at all. Labs follow: complete blood count, testosterone, vitamin D, all read as markers of how well you are likely to heal. Procedures run one to two hours. Most patients need one or two treatments, spaced twelve to sixteen weeks apart, and rarely a third. The clinic's stated target is eighty to ninety percent improvement in pain and function, and it tells patients that damaged collagen takes nine to twelve months to remodel even when symptoms ease at four to six weeks. Seven offices run out of Chesterfield, Missouri: Columbia and Farmington in the same state, plus Naples in Florida, De Pere in Wisconsin, Thousand Oaks in California, and Westfield in Indiana.
Board-Certified Physicians
Research / Clinical-Trial Participation
Accreditations are records-based and do not imply endorsement of any treatment's safety or efficacy.
Starting from
On consultation
consult to quote
Priced at the consultation once the physician knows the site and the number of treatments. Most insurers classify PRP and bone marrow aspirate as investigational and will not pay, so plan on self-pay. CareCredit financing is available. Imaging and lab work are ordered before the first visit and are billed separately.
Pricing is indicative and set by each clinic. Confirm the final cost directly before treatment.
3 reviews
Individual results vary and are not typical or guaranteed. Case studies and testimonials reflect one person's experience.
Experience
We can't say enough good things about Dr. Bayes and his team at Bluetail Medical Group. Our 17-year-old son received a PRP injection for a UCL injury and both appointments were fantastic. Dr. Bayes has the best bedside manner and he is so positive and down-to-earth. He did not rush through anything and answered all of our many questions. A+
Experience
Terrible patient relations. I wish I could get my wasted $6k back. Save your effort, go to one of the many other providers. I have given them months and months of 3rd and 4th chances to try and make an effort.
Experience
Dr. Crane was excellent. He has a great bedside manner and made me feel comfortable from the start. He explained things thoroughly, reviewed my prior X-rays and MRI with me directly, and clearly walked me through what they showed and what the next steps should be. I truly appreciated how thoughtful, knowledgeable, and communicative he was throughout the visit.
Third-party sources, summarised by our editors and quoted where a reviewer said it best. These are not Bluetail Medical Group's reviews on this site and are not counted in its rating here.
4.9out of 5 on Google from 1,155 ratings
Google shows 4.9 across 1,155 reviews. Birdeye reviewers, at a similar 4.9 average, mostly discuss PRP and stem cell injections for knee and joint pain, staff manner and how procedures were explained. Two Healthgrades reviews rate it 1.0, raising out of pocket cost and results short of what reviewers expected.
Most-mentioned on Google
Checked . Figures on the source may have changed since. View the Google listing
Reddit says almost nothing about this clinic. The only thread that names it is a 2017 r/stemcells post from a Missouri patient with ankle arthritis who was quoted roughly 2,300 dollars for a combined bone marrow, PRP and stem cell injection and asked what to ask before booking. Nobody reported an outcome.
Recurring points
Checked . Figures on the source may have changed since.
Dr. David Crane
Founder
MD, board certified in sports medicine and emergency medicine
Crane earned his MD at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, did an emergency medicine residency at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, then a dual fellowship in emergency medicine and primary care sports medicine at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. He was on staff at Barnes Jewish Hospital and St. John's Mercy Medical Center, founded Crane Clinic Sports Medicine in 2005 and Bluetail in 2008. He works mainly in diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound and needle-guided injection, and teaches those techniques to physicians in the US and abroad. Missouri native, orienteering and adventure racing on the weekends.
Dr. Chris Wolf
Physician
DO, board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and in brain injury medicine
Wolf trained at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and did his PM&R residency at the University of Missouri with a brain injury subspecialty, plus a teaching fellowship in osteopathic manipulative medicine. He was an associate professor at Missouri and ran its brain injury and concussion program before joining Bluetail. He handles back and pelvic pain, pregnancy-related musculoskeletal problems, and ultrasound-guided injection, and teaches at CME programs nationally.
Christine Schroeder
Physician Assistant
PA-C
Schroeder finished the University of Wisconsin PA program in 1987 and came to Bluetail in May 2017 from cardiovascular surgery, hematology and oncology, and OB/GYN. She holds certifications in biologics for sexual wellness, aesthetics, and hair restoration, and trains physicians in regenerative technique around the country.
Raquel Russo
Physician Assistant
MPH, MMS, PA-C
Russo grew up in St. Louis and scribed for Dr. Crane before graduate school. She finished at Saint Louis University in 2021, was inducted into Pi Alpha, and joined the practice in February 2022.
Not yet verified
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