Guide | May 20, 2025

"I now wear my ear in my knee" - Marianne Hartl on her innovative stem cell treatment at the ROC

The well-known folk music duo Marianne & Michael Hartl turned to the ROC Regenerative Center in Aschheim, near Munich, for help with their orthopedic problems—with great success.

Marianne Hartl suffered from severe knee pain for years. Thanks to the innovative stem cell therapy using the AMT method, performed by Dr. Daniel Filesch, she is finally pain-free: “I now have my ear in my knee,” she says with a smile—because the body’s own cells used for the treatment were harvested from behind her ear. She is thrilled that she can finally play a full 18-hole round of golf again.

What is the AMT procedure?

The Autologous Micrografting Technology (AMT) is an innovative, non-surgical method for treating joint pain and regenerating cartilage tissue, particularly in conditions such as arthritis or osteoarthritis.

How does the AMT procedure work?

1. Tissue Harvesting:
   First, the patient’s own cartilage tissue is harvested from the ear cartilage—which contains a particularly high number of regenerative progenitor cells.
2. Processing & Transplantation:
   The harvested tissue is specially processed and then injected into the affected joint using a minimally invasive technique.
3. Regeneration & Pain Relief:
   The cells promote the natural regeneration of cartilage—often resulting in significant pain relief and improved mobility.

Michael Hartl also found support at the ROC

Michael Hartl underwent Racz catheter treatment for targeted pain management of the spine. The flexible catheter reaches the segment of the spine that is causing the pain. Through this catheter, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications can be delivered to the inflamed and partially compressed nerves. The accompanying physical therapy is provided to Michael Hartl at INTAKT —right on the 1st floor of the ROC Regenerative Center.

In an interview with ganz-muenchen.de, the two speak candidly about their experiences:

Would you like to learn more about the possibility of stem cell treatment?

Then please feel free to schedule a consultation at our office:

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