CONDITIONS TREATeD / CRITICAL LIMB ISCHEMIA
Regenerate. Repair. Restore.
Stem Cells Therapy for Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI)
WHAT IS STEM CELL THERAPY?
HOW STEM CELL THERAPY WILL HELP?
WHAT SETS US APART?
WHY STEM CELLS TRANSPLANT INSTITUTE?
Critical limb ischemia, also called limb threat, is characterized by severe pain in the legs and feet at rest, and sores on the feet or legs that do not heal.
Critical limb ischemia is a serious form of peripheral artery disease, with a 12% rate of amputation within 1 year of diagnosis, and a 50% mortality rate at 5 years of diagnosis.2
Symptoms of critical limb ischemia include:
- Pain or numbness in the feet or legs
- Sores, infections or ulcers that do not heal
- Shiny, smooth, dry skin of the legs or feet
What Is Critical Limb Ischemia?
Critical limb ischemia is the most severe form of peripheral artery disease.
Peripheral arterial disease occurs when atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque, causes a narrowing, or blocking of the blood vessels in the peripheral arteries.
Plaque is caused by the presence of cholesterol, calcium, fat and other substances in the blood.
When plaque builds up in the arteries, they harden and weaken, and can no longer send enough blood flow to the extremities, usually the legs.
Critical limb ischemia is associated with a high risk of amputation, myocardial infarction, and death, with mortality rates of 20% within 6 months of initial diagnosis and 50% at 5-years2.
Critical limb ischemia is associated with a poor quality of life and high treatment costs. Stem cell therapy at the Stem Cells Transplant Institute may be a good alternative for patients seeking a safe, non-surgical treatment for critical limb ischemia.
Risk factors for peripheral artery disease and critical limb ischemia include:
- Smoking
- Diabetes
Obesity - High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Age
- Family history of peripheral artery disease, cardiovascular disease or stroke
- High homocysteine levels
- The standard treatment for critical limb ischemia is surgical or endovascular revascularization. Up to 30% of patients do not qualify for treatment because of risks associated with treatment, meaning prognosis for these patients is poor.3
How can stem cell therapy improve the symptoms of critical limb ischemia?
Stem cell transplantation uses healthy cells to promote the repair of damaged cells and regeneration of healthy and functional cells.1
The therapeutic effect of stem cell transplantation in patients with critical limb ischemia may be due to the paracrine effect.
The paracrine effect theory is, transplanted stem cells repair damaged tissue by releasing factors that promote regeneration of healthy stem cells, reduce inflammation, promote the growth of new blood vessels, inhibit cell death, and reduce hypertrophy.1
Animal and human trials have shown stem cell transplantation to be safe and effective in patients with critical limb ischemia.
What Are Scientists Researching?
Research has shown stem cell therapy, in critical limb ischemia, resulted in:3,4
- Improved limb function
- Amputation free survival
- Reduce muscle atrophy
- Reduce the thickening or scarring of connective tissue
- Improvement in pain and cold sensation
- Growth of new collateral vessels
- Improved ankle-brachial index
- Improved blood flow
Increase in walking distance - Increase in ulcer healing
- Improved quality of life measures
Stem cell therapy cannot help all patients with critical limb ischemia, but for many patients, stem cell therapy, combined with lifestyle modification, may be a safe, effective, non-surgical treatment alternative.
Lifestyle changes that can help improve cardiovascular disease include:
- Quit smoking
- Following a healthy diet low in salt and saturated fat
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Daily exercise
- Control high blood pressure
- Control diabetes
- Control high cholesterol
- Practice good hygiene 1,2
What Is The Treatment Protocol For Critical Limb Ischemia At The Stem Cells Transplant Institute?
For optimal results, the Stem Cells Transplant Institute recommends the use of hUC-MSCs for the treatment of critical limb ischemia.
If the patient prefers, autologous mesenchymal stem cells derived from the patient’s own adipose tissue and bone marrow, can also be used to treat peripheral artery disease.
Treatment includes:
- Mesenchymal stem cells derived from human umbilical cord tissue.
- Antioxidant therapy with vitamin C and glutathione.
- Ozone therapy.
- Platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP).
What Are The Advantages Of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells?
- Abundant supply containing up to 10 times more stem cells than bone marrow or adipose derived stem cells
- hUC-MSC have immunosuppressors and immunomodulatory properties that allow their use in any individual without rejection- Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) matching is not necessary
- Greater proliferation ability than adult autologous stem cells
- They regenerate at a very rapid rate
- They have not been impacted by the aging process
- They have not been affected by environmental toxins
- Umbilical cord stem cells can be administered multiple times over the course of days
- Eliminates the need to collect stem cells from the patient’s fat or hip bone reducing pain and recovery time
UMBILICAL CORD DONATIONS
How Are the Stem Cells Collected?
Our clinic focuses on obtaining healthy stem cells exclusively from umbilical cord blood donors. We collect the placenta once the baby is born, with the parent’s informed consent. Additionally, we follow strict ethical guidelines and collect stem cells from reliable and reputable sources.
INTRAVENUS ADMINISTRATION
How Are the Stem Cells Administered?
Our nursing staff administers the stem cells through an intravenous and intra-pulmonary route. For the most effective outcomes, intravenous administration is preferred.
About the Stem Cells Transplant Institute
Our clinic is located in Costa Rica, which is one of the most popular medical tourism destinations for stem cell therapy. At the Stem Cells Transplant Institute, we have a skilled team of doctors and medical professionals who collect and administer stem cells to treat autism and other conditions. Every patient receives the most cost-effective and top-notch care from our dedicated team.
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Scientific References:
- Sun R.Advances in stem cell therapy for cardiovascular disease (Review). National Journal of Mol. Med. 38: 23-29, 2016.
- Stem cell-based therapies to promote angiogenesis in ischemic cardiovascular disease Luqia Hou,1,2 Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 310: H455–H465, 2016.
- Hare JM, Fishman JE, Gerstenblith G, DiFede Velazquez DL, Zambrano JP, Suncion VY, Tracy M, Ghersin E, Johnston PV, Brinker JA, Breton E, Davis-Sproul J, Schulman IH, Byrnes J, Mendizabal AM, Lowery MH, Rouy D, Altman P, Wong Po Foo C, Ruiz P, Amador A, Da Silva J, McNiece IK, Heldman AW, George R, Lardo A. Comparison of allogeneic vs autologous bone marrowderived mesenchymal stem cells delivered by transendocardial injection in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy: the POSEIDON randomized trial. JAMA 308: 2369–2379, 2012.
