Stem Cell Therapy for Low Back Pain
Erik is a 70 year old engineer who had stem cell therapy for his chronic low back pain. He is now 2 weeks post therapy and has had an 80% improvement in his symptoms.

By: mark walter

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Stem Cell Therapy for Low Back Pain - Video

What can mesenchymal stem cells do?

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an example of tissue or 'adult' stem cells. They are multipotent, meaning they can produce more than one type of specialized cell of the body, but not all types. MSCs make the different specialized cells found in the skeletal tissues. For example, they can differentiate or specialize into cartilage cells (chondrocytes), bone cells (osteoblasts) and fat cells (adipocytes). These specialized cells each have their own characteristic shapes, structures and functions, and each belongs in a particular tissue.

Some early research suggested that MSCs might also differentiate into many different types of cells that do not belong to the skeletal tissues, such as nerve cells, heart muscle cells, liver cells and endothelial cells, which form the inner layer of blood vessels. These results have not been confirmed to date. In some cases, it appears that the MSCs fused together with existing specialized cells, leading to false conclusions about the ability of MSCs to produce certain cell types. In other cases, the results were an artificial effect caused by chemicals used to grow the cells in the lab.

Mesenchymal stem cell differentiation: MSCs can make fat, cartilage and bone cells. They have not been proven to make other types of cells of the body.

MSCs were originally found in the bone marrow. There have since been many claims that they also exist in a wide variety of other tissues, such as umbilical cord blood, adipose (fat) tissue and muscle. It has not yet been established whether the cells taken from these other tissues are really the same as, or similar to, the mesenchymal stem cells of the bone marrow.

The bone marrow contains many different types of cells. Among them are blood stem cells (also called hematopoietic stem cells; HSCs) and a variety of different types of cells belonging to a group called mesenchymal cells. Only about 0.001-0.01% of the cells in the bone marrow are mesenchymal stem cells.

It is fairly easy to obtain a mixture of different mesenchymal cell types from adult bone marrow for research. But isolating the tiny fraction of cells that are mesenchymal stem cells is more complicated. Some of the cells in the mixture may be able to form bone or fat tissues, for example, but still do not have all the properties of mesenchymal stem cells. The challenge is to identify and pick out the cells that can both self-renew (produce more of themselves) and can differentiate into three cell types bone, cartilage and fat. Scientists have not yet reached a consensus about the best way to do this.

No treatments using MSCs are yet available. However, several possibilities for their use in the clinic are currently being explored.

Bone and cartilage repair The ability of MSCs to differentiate into bone cells called osteoblasts has led to their use in early clinical trials investigating the safety of potential bone repair methods. These studies are looking at possible treatments for localized skeletal defects (damage at a particular place in the bone).

Other research is focussed on using MSCs to repair cartilage. Cartilage covers the ends of bones and allows one bone to slide over another at the joints. It can be damaged by a sudden injury like a fall, or over a long period by a condition like osteoarthritis, a very painful disease of the joints. Cartilage does not repair itself well after damage. The best treatment available for severe cartilage damage is surgery to replace the damaged joint with an artificial one. Because MSCs can differentiate into cartilage cells called chondrocytes, scientists hope MSCs could be injected into patients to repair and maintain the cartilage in their joints. Researchers are also investigating the possibility that transplanted MSCs may release substances that will tell the patients own cells to repair the damage.

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Mesenchymal stem cells: the 'other' bone marrow stem cells ...

STEM CELL therapy incredible results for severe MS
get some STEM CELL on ya! some basics on the buzz!

By: Multiplesclerosis Tv

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STEM CELL therapy incredible results for severe MS - Video

NYC, NY (PRWEB) April 13, 2015

NYC Health & Longevity Center is now offering outpatient stem cell therapy to help patients avoid joint replacement in all extremities. The treatments are performed by a Board Certified physician, with most patients being able to avoid or delay the need for surgery. Simply call (844) GET-STEM for more information and scheduling with stem cell therapy NYC trusts.

Millions of joint replacements are performed in the US annually for degenerative arthritis of the knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, wrist and ankle. While these are mostly effective, they are not risk free procedures and should be avoided as long as possible. In addition, the implants placed are not meant to last forever.

With stem cell therapy now being commercially available, individuals now have access to the most cutting-edge procedures with the potentially to actually regenerate damaged tissue. This includes cartilage, ligament and tendon.

The stem cell procedures are performed by a Board Certified Anti-Aging doctor with considerable experience in both the stem cell procedures along with prolotherapy too.

The stem cell material comes from amniotic fluid that is obtained from consenting donors after a scheduled C-section, which is then processed at an FDA regulated lab. No fetal tissue or embryonic stem cells are used, eliminating any ethical concerns. Amniotic fluid causes no rejection, and has a very high amount of stem cells, growth factors and anti-inflammatory effects. The overall result is typically tremendous pain reduction and functional improvements that are long lasting.

Stem cell therapy for arthritis is performed on an outpatient basis, with absolutely minimal risk. The procedure takes less than a half hour, with patients able to return to desired activities quickly.

Along with degenerative arthritis, the stem cell procedures also help rheumatoid arthritis along with tendonitis of the rotator cuff, Achilles, elbow and knee. Athletes benefit from typically being able to avoid surgery and get back their sport much faster than with conventional treatments.

For more information on stem cell therapy at NYC Health & Longevity Center for extremity arthritis of the hips, knees, shoulders, elbow, wrist or ankle, call (844) GET-STEM.

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NYC Health & Longevity Center Now Offering Stem Cell Therapy to Avoid Joint Replacement

Welcome

The Stem Cell Center Texas Heart Institute is dedicated to the study of adult stem cells and their role in treating diseases of the heart and the circulatory system. Through numerous clinical and preclinical studies, we have come to realize the potential of stem cells to help patients suffering from cardiovascular disease.We are actively enrolling patients in studies using stem cells for the treatment of heart failure, heart attacks, and peripheral vascular disease.

Whether you are a patient looking for information regarding our research, or a doctor hoping to learn more about stem cell therapy, we welcome you to the Stem Cell Center. Please visit our Clinical Trials page for more information about our current trials.

Emerson C. Perin, MD, PhD, FACC Director, Clinical Research for Cardiovascular Medicine Medical Director, Stem Cell Center McNair Scholar

You may contact us at:

E-mail: stemcell@texasheart.org Toll free: 1-866-924-STEM (7836) Phone: 832-355-9405 Fax: 832-355-9440

We are a network of physicians, scientists, and support staff dedicatedto studying stem cell therapy for treating heart disease. Thegoals of the Network are to complete research studies that will potentially lead to more effective treatments for patients with cardiovasculardisease, and to share knowledge quickly with the healthcare community.

Websitein Spanish (En espaol)

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The Stem Cell Center at Texas Heart Institute

By Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, April 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Two experimental therapies might help manage the inflammatory bowel disorder Crohn's disease, if this early research pans out.

In one study, researchers found that a fecal transplant -- stool samples taken from a healthy donor -- seemed to send Crohn's symptoms into remission in seven of nine children treated.

In another, a separate research team showed that stem cells can have lasting benefits for a serious Crohn's complication called fistula.

According to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, up to 700,000 Americans have Crohn's -- a chronic inflammatory disease that causes abdominal cramps, diarrhea, constipation and rectal bleeding. It arises when the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the digestive tract.

A number of drugs are available to treat Crohn's, including drugs called biologics, which block certain immune-system proteins.

But fecal transplants take a different approach, explained Dr. David Suskind, a gastroenterologist at Seattle Children's Hospital who led the new study.

Instead of suppressing the immune system, he said, the transplants alter the environment that the immune system is reacting against: the "microbiome," which refers to the trillions of bacteria that dwell in the gut.

Like the name implies, a fecal transplant involves transferring stool from a donor into a Crohn's patient's digestive tract. The idea is to change the bacterial composition of the gut, and hopefully quiet the inflammation that causes symptoms.

And for most kids in the new study, it seemed to work. Within two weeks, seven of nine children were showing few to no Crohn's symptoms. Five were still in remission after 12 weeks, with no additional therapy, the researchers reported in a recent issue of the journal Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

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Stem Cells, Fecal Transplants Show Promise for Crohn's Disease

Miami, FL (PRWEB) April 09, 2015

Global Stem Cells Group subsidiary Adimarket has been named the Latin America distributor for bone marrow technology leader Ranfac Corporation. The announcement coincides with Global Stem Cells Groups most recent expansion plans in Latin America, an ongoing effort to meet the regions growing demands for access to regenerative medicine and stem cell therapies.

Ranfac manufactures state-of-the-art surgical, radiology, hematology and orthopedic products including a range of bone marrow aspiration needles, each designed to provide a simple means of harvesting marrow from the patients sternum (breastbone) or the iliac crest (part of the pelvic bone) for a variety of medical procedures. Ranfacs newest technology is designed to harvest high quality bone marrow derived cells without the need for centrifugation.

Ranfac bone marrow technology is used by physicians and medical specialists worldwide. Global Stem Cells Group Advisory Board member Joseph Purita, M.D., a pioneer in the use of laser and stem cell therapies in orthopedic medicine, endorses Ranfacs bone marrow aspiration technology. Purita recently joined other specialists including fellow GSCG Advisory Board member David B Harrell, PhD, Brt, OF, FAARM, FRIPH, DABRM, in a trial study and white paper collaboration on Ranfacs new, non-centrifugal bone marrow technology.

Both Purita and Harrell endorse the Ranfac systems enhanced safety and ability to increase the concentrations of stem and progenitor cells during the bone marrow aspiration process.

Our ground-breaking hematology and orthopedic products for bone marrow access, aspiration, stem cell harvesting and biopsy procedures are designed to provide a more efficient result during critical procedures, says Ranfac CEO Barry Zimble. We believe that this is the perfect time to team with Global Stem Cells Group as our distribution partner in Latin Americas fast-growing medical community.

The collaboration between Global Stem Cells Group and Ranfac is another step toward GSCGs commitment to expanding its presence in communities that need and deserve access to cutting-edge regenerative medicine, not only in Latin America but also worldwide.

The timing couldnt be better to represent Ranfacs cutting edge bone marrow technology in the emerging markets of Latin America. Global is always looking to provide patients and practitioners with the best resources that regenerative medicine has to offer says Ricardo DeCubas, Global Stem Cells Group co-founder and Regenestem CEO.

For more information visit the Global Stem Cells Group website, email bnovas@stemcellsgroup.com, or call 305-224-1858.

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Global Stem Cells Group Subsidiary Adimarket Named Latin American Distributor for Ranfac Bone Marrow Technology

Two experimental therapies might help manage the inflammatory bowel disorder Crohn's disease, if this early research pans out.

In one study, researchers found that a fecal transplant -- stool samples taken from a healthy donor -- seemed to send Crohn's symptoms into remission in seven of nine children treated.

In another, a separate research team showed that stem cells can have lasting benefits for a serious Crohn's complication called fistula.

According to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, up to 700,000 Americans have Crohn's -- a chronic inflammatory disease that causes abdominal cramps, diarrhea, constipation and rectal bleeding. It arises when the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the digestive tract.

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Hundreds of thousands of people suffer from the potentially life threatening C. difficile bacterial infection in their intestines. CBS News' Marl...

A number of drugs are available to treat Crohn's, including drugs called biologics, which block certain immune-system proteins.

But fecal transplants take a different approach, explained Dr. David Suskind, a gastroenterologist at Seattle Children's Hospital who led the new study.

Instead of suppressing the immune system, he said, the transplants alter the environment that the immune system is reacting against: the "microbiome," which refers to the trillions of bacteria that dwell in the gut.

Like the name implies, a fecal transplant involves transferring stool from a donor into a Crohn's patient's digestive tract. The idea is to change the bacterial composition of the gut, and hopefully quiet the inflammation that causes symptoms.

Here is the original post:
Fecal transplant, stem cells may help Crohn's disease

U.S. Stem Cell Clinic: How long will my recovery take?
Our U.S. Stem Cell Clinic procedure is minimally invasive and patients walk out within 3 hours in most cases. As a result recovery time is very quick. Many patients will experience soreness...

By: U.S. Stem Cell Clinic

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U.S. Stem Cell Clinic: How long will my recovery take? - Video

Normal doses of chemotherapy (chemo) can harm normal cells as well as cancer cells. A stem cell transplant offers doctors a way to use the very high doses of chemo needed to kill all the leukemia cells. Although the drugs destroy the patient's bone marrow, stem cells given after the chemo can restore the blood-making bone marrow stem cells. This is called a stem cell transplant (SCT).

These blood-forming stem cells can come from the bone marrow or peripheral blood from either the patient or from a donor whose tissue type closely matches that of the patient. For CML, a donor (or allogeneic) transplant is most often used. The donor may be a brother or sister or less often a person not related to the patient.

Before modern targeted therapy drugs like imatinib (Gleevec), SCT was commonly used to treat CML. Thats because before drugs like imatinib, less than half of patients lived more than 5 years after diagnosis. Now, these drugs are the standard treatment, and transplants are being used less often. Still, a SCT from a donor offers the only proven chance to cure this disease, and many doctors will recommend a transplant for younger patients, especially children. Transplant may also be recommended if the CML is not responding well to the new drugs.

For more information on stem cell transplants, see Stem Cell Transplant (Peripheral Blood, Bone Marrow, and Cord Blood Transplants).

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Bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplant for ...

LOS ANGELES (KABC) --

While Roeuy Garay was pregnant with her daughter Brook, she felt weak and an unusual back pain. Her doctors thought it was just part of the pregnancy. But a few weeks after her delivery, her fiance Joseph knew something was seriously wrong.

"I passed out and he took me to urgent care and said, 'Something is wrong with her. It's got to be her kidney or something. We need to do some blood tests,'" Roeuy said.

A bone biopsy and body scan revealed a diagnosis the 36-year-old Corona mother of four could not believe.

"They came in and said, 'Yeah, you have multiple myeloma, and it's about between 70 to 80 percent of your blood is cancer,'" she said.

Multiple myeloma, also called Kahler's disease, is a cancer of the plasma cells, which are in the blood stream. Her best chance at survival is a bone marrow transplant.

None of her siblings were a match and being of Cambodian descent, Roeuy's odds of finding a match are very slim. It's a fact that is hard to hide from her children.

There are 12 million people in the National Bone Marrow Registry, but only 7 percent are Asian and only a small fraction of that are Southeast Asian.

Dr. Elizabeth Budde with City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte said it only takes a cheek swab to be part of the registry and donating stem cells can be as easy as donating blood.

For now, Roeuy is in remission so she needs a match as soon as possible.

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Corona mother of 4 seeks bone marrow match

Costa Mesa and Sherman Oaks, California (PRWEB) March 31, 2015

The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center announces a series of free public seminars on the use of adult stem cells for various degenerative and inflammatory conditions. They will be provided by Dr. Thomas A. Gionis, Surgeon-in-Chief.

The seminars will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2015, at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm at Ayres Hotel & Suites Costa Mesa/Newport Beach, 325 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92626; and Wednesday, April 22, 2015, at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm at Hampton Inn, 5638 Sepulveda Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91411. Please RSVP at (949) 679-3889.

The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center (Irvine and Westlake), along with sister affiliates, the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center (Miami; Boca Raton; Orlando; The Villages; Sarasota, Florida) and the Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group (Manhattan, New York), abide by approved investigational protocols using adult adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) which can be deployed to improve patients quality of life for a number of chronic, degenerative and inflammatory conditions and diseases. ADSCs are taken from the patients own adipose (fat) tissue (found within a cellular mixture called stromal vascular fraction (SVF)). ADSCs are exceptionally abundant in adipose tissue. The adipose tissue is obtained from the patient during a 15 minute mini-liposuction performed under local anesthesia in the doctors office. SVF is a protein-rich solution containing mononuclear cell lines (predominantly adult autologous mesenchymal stem cells), macrophage cells, endothelial cells, red blood cells, and important Growth Factors that facilitate the stem cell process and promote their activity.

ADSCs are the bodys natural healing cells - they are recruited by chemical signals emitted by damaged tissues to repair and regenerate the bodys injured cells. The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center only uses Adult Autologous Stem Cells from a persons own fat No embryonic stem cells are used; and No bone marrow stem cells are used. Current areas of study include: Emphysema, COPD, Asthma, Heart Failure, Heart Attack, Parkinsons Disease, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, Lou Gehrigs Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohns Disease, Muscular Dystrophy, Inflammatory Myopathies, and Degenerative Orthopedic Joint Conditions (Knee, Shoulder, Hip, Spine). For more information, or if someone thinks they may be a candidate for one of the adult stem cell protocols offered by the Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center, they may contact Dr. Gionis directly at (949) 679-3889, or see a complete list of the Centers study areas at: http://www.IrvineStemCellsUSA.com.

Also, you can listen and call into our new radio show, The Stem Cell Show, hosted by Dr. Gionis on TalkRadio 790 AM KABC, Sundays @ 4pm PST, or worldwide on KABC.com ("Listen Live" at 4pm PST) or the KABC app available on the App Store or Google Play.

About the Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center: The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center, along with sister affiliates, the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center and the Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group, is an affiliate of the California Stem Cell Treatment Center / Cell Surgical Network (CSN); we are located in Irvine and Westlake, California. We provide care for people suffering from diseases that may be alleviated by access to adult stem cell based regenerative treatment. We utilize a fat transfer surgical technology to isolate and implant the patients own stem cells from a small quantity of fat harvested by a mini-liposuction on the same day. The investigational protocols utilized by the Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center have been reviewed and approved by an IRB (Institutional Review Board) which is registered with the U.S. Department of Health, Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP); and our studies are registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). For more information, visit our websites: http://www.IrvineStemCellsUSA.com, http://www.MiamiStemCellsUSA.com, or http://www.NYStemCellsUSA.com; http://www.TheStemCellShow.com.

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The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center Announces Adult Stem Cell Public Seminars in Costa Mesa and Sherman Oaks ...

Durham, NC (PRWEB) March 31, 2015

Stem cells may provide Crohns disease sufferers relief from a common, potentially dangerous side effect fistulas according to the results of a phase 2 clinical trial published in the latest issue of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM). After receiving an injection of their own adipose-derived stem cells (ASC), which are collected from fat tissue, the fistulas in 75 percent of the trial participants were completely healed within eight weeks of their last treatment and remained so two years later.

Crohn's disease is a painful, chronic autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract. Inflammation in Crohns patients can sometimes extend completely through the intestinal wall and create a fistula an abnormal connection between the intestine and another organ or skin. Left untreated, a fistula might become infected and form an abscess, which in some cases can be life threatening.

Chang Sik Yu, M.D., Ph.D., of Asan Medical Center in Seoul, Korea, a senior author of the SCTM paper, describes the results of a clinical trial conducted in collaboration with four other hospitals in South Korea, stated, Crohns fistula is one of the most distressing diseases as it decreases patients quality of life and frequently recurs. It has been reported to occur in up to 38 percent of Crohns patients and over the course of the disease, 10 to 18 percent of them must undergo a proctectomy, which is a surgical procedure to remove the rectum.

Overall, the treatments currently available for Crohns fistula remain unsatisfactory because they fail to achieve complete closure, lower recurrence and limit adverse effects, Dr. Yu said. Given the challenges and unmet medical needs in Crohns fistula, attention has turned to stem cell therapy as a possible treatment.

Several studies, including those undertaken by Dr. Yus team, suggest that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) do indeed improve Crohns disease and Crohns fistula. Their phase II trial involved 43 patients for a term of one year, over the period from January 2010 to August 2012. The results showed that 82 percent experienced complete closure of fistula eight weeks after the final ASC injection.

It strongly demonstrated MSCs derived from ASCs are a safe and useful therapeutic tool for the treatment of Crohns fistula, Dr. Yu said.

The latest study was intended to evaluate the long-term outcome by following 41 of the original 43 patients for yet another year. Dr. Yu reported, Our long-term follow-up found that one or two doses of autologous ASC therapy achieved complete closure of the fistulas in 75 percent of the patients at 24 months, and sustainable safety and efficacy of initial response in 83 percent. No adverse events related to ASC administration were observed. Furthermore, complete closure after initial treatment was well sustained.

These results strongly suggest that autologous ASCs may be a novel treatment option for Crohns fistulae, he said.

Stem cells derived from fat tissue are known to regulate the immune response, which may explain these successful long-term results treating Crohns fistulae with a high risk of recurrence, said Anthony Atala, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine and director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

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Trial Shows Stem Cells Provide Long-Term Relief from Dangerous Crohns Side Effect

Stem cell research has long been seen as a new frontier for disease therapeutics. By coaxing stem cells to form 3D miniature lung structures, University researchers are helping explain why.

In a collaborative study, University researchers devised a system to generate self-organizing human lung organoids, or artificially-grown organisms. These organoids are 3D models that can be used to better understand lung diseases.

Jason Spence, the assistant professor of internal medicine and cell and developmental biology, who was a senior author of the study, said one of the key implications of these lungs is the controlled environment they offer for future research.

These mini lungs will allow us to study diseases in a controlled environment and to develop and test new drugs, he said.

Specifically, Spence said, scientists will be able to take skin samples from patients with a particular form of a lung disease, reprogram the cells into stem cells and then generate lung tissue for further study. He said by analyzing the disease in a controlled environment, researchers can gain insight into the progression of various diseases and then tailor drugs for treatment.

Rackham student Briana Dye was also a lead author of the study. She said the team manipulated numerous signaling pathways involved with cell growth and organ formation to make the miniature lungs.

First, Dye said the scientists used proteins called growth factors to differentiate embryonic stem cells into endoderm, the germ layer that gives rise to the lungs. Different growth factors were then used to cause the endoderm to become lung tissue.

We add specific growth factors, proteins that turn on pathways in the cells, that will then cause them to lift off the monolayer so that we have this 3D spherical tissue, she said.

Previous research has used stem cells in a similar manner to generate brain, intestine, stomach and liver tissue. Dye said one of the advantages of stem cell research is its direct path to studying human tissue.

We have worked with many animal models in the past, Dye said. Animal models present obstacles because they dont exactly behave the way human tissue and cells do. This is why stem cells are so promising.

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Research develops mini-lung structures

Phoenix, Arizona (PRWEB) March 30, 2015

Arizona Pain Specialists, are now offering stem cell therapy to help patients avoid hip and knee replacement. The outpatient treatments at Arizona Pain Stem Cell Institute have been exceptionally effective and are administered by Board Certified pain doctors at ten locations Valleywide. Call (602) 507-6550 for more information and scheduling.

Over the past few years, stem cell therapy for hip and knee arthritis has become mainstream. The treatment involves either bone marrow derived or amniotic derived stem cells, neither of which involve fetal tissue. The previous ethical concerns over fetal tissue and embryonic stem cells are not an issue with these treatments, as neither are involved.

The stem cell procedures are outpatient and exceptionally low risk. The stem cells, growth factors, and additional proteins in the treatments are essential for the regeneration and repair of damaged soft tissues such as tendons, ligaments and arthritic cartilage.

Although hip and knee replacement have shown exceptionally good resuts, they are not risk free procedures. They are also not meant to last forever and should be avoided until absolutely necessary.

The procedures are available throughout the Valley with Arizona Pain Specialists highly skilled, Board Certified pain management doctors in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, East Valley and West Valley. Simply call (602) 507-6550. Research studies are available as well.

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Arizona Pain Stem Cell Institute Now Offering Stem Cell Therapy to Help Patients Avoid Hip and Knee Replacement

An injection of a patient's bone marrow stem cells during rotator cuff surgery significantly improved healing and tendon durability, according to a study presented today at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

Each year in the U.S., more than 2 million people have rotator cuff surgery to re-attach their shoulder tendon to the head of the humerus (upper arm bone). Rotator cuff tears can occur during a fall or when lifting an extremely heavy object; however, most tears are the result of aging and overuse.

The French study, of which a portion appeared in the September 2014 issue of International Orthopaedics, included 90 patients who underwent rotator cuff surgery. Researchers tried to make the two groups as equivalent as possible based on rotator cuff tear size, tendon rupture location, dominate shoulder, gender and age. Forty-five of the patients received injections of bone marrow concentrate (BMC) mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) at the surgical site, and 45 had their rotator cuff repaired or reattached without MSCs.

Patient ultrasound images were obtained each month following surgery for 24 months. In addition, MRI images were obtained of patient shoulders at three and six months following surgery, and at one year, two years, and 10 years following surgery.

At six months, all 45 of the patients who received MSCs had healed rotator cuff tendons, compared to 30 (67 percent) of the patients who did not receive MSCs. The use of bone marrow concentrate also prevented further ruptures or retears. At 10 years after surgery, intact rotator cuffs were found in 39 (87 percent) of the MSC patients, but just 20 (44 percent) of the non-MSC patients.

In addition, "some retears or new tears occurred after one year," said Philippe Hernigou, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at the University of Paris and lead study author. "These retears were more frequently associated with the control group patients who were not treated with MSCs.

"While the risk of a retear after arthroscopic repair of the rotator cuff has been well documented, publications with long-term follow-up (more than three years) are relatively limited," said Dr. Hernigou. "Many patients undergoing rotator cuff repair surgery show advanced degeneration of the tendons, which are thinner and atrophic (more likely to degenerate), probably explaining why negative results are so often reported in the literature, with frequent post-operative complications, especially retear. Observations in the MSC treatment group support the potential that MSC treatment has both a short-term and long-term benefit in reducing the rate of tendon retear."

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The above story is based on materials provided by American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Stem cells may improve tendon healing, reduce retear risk in rotator cuff surgery

A federal public servant has lost a legal bid to have taxpayers pay for experimental stem cell treatment on his dodgy knees.

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal has knocked back an appeal by Customs officer Vic Kaplicas to force insurer Comcare to pay $13,400 for the new treatment, instead saying he could have a tried-and-tested double knee replacement.

But the 49-year-old border official says he worries he cannot pass his department's fitness tests if he undergoes the knee replacements, which will leave him unable to run.

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The former triathlete, who had to give up his sport because of his bad knees, said he was keen to avoid the "radical but effective" replacements for as long as possible.

Mr Kaplicas hurt his left knee working at Sydney's Mascot Airport in 2000, then injured his right knee 10 years later at Kingsford-Smith.

He managed the pain in his knees, which have since developed osteoarthritis, for years using over-the-counter painkillers, physio, exercises and injections but Mr Kaplicas' doctors say a more permanent solution is now needed.

In June 2012, Sydney knee specialist Sam Sorrenti asked Comcare to pay for bilateral knee stem cell assisted arthroscopic surgery for Mr Kaplicas.

The cost of the procedure was estimated at $13,464.00 for arthroscopy, stem cell harvesting and injection, and a "HiQCell procedure".

Dr Sorrenti said the knee replacements were not a good idea for a man of Mr Kaplicas' age, arguing the new knees would last 15 years at best, were intended for older people who are less concerned with physical activity, and left no further options.

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No stem cell treatment for public servant's dodgy knee

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Newswise (New York March 25, 2015) Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)adult cells reprogrammed back to an embryonic stem cell-like statemay better model the genetic contributions to each patient's particular disease. In a process called cellular reprogramming, researchers at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have taken mature blood cells from patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and reprogrammed them back into iPSCs to study the genetic origins of this rare blood cancer. The results appear in an upcoming issue of Nature Biotechnology.

In MDS, genetic mutations in the bone marrow stem cell cause the number and quality of blood-forming cells to decline irreversibly, further impairing blood production. Patients with MDS can develop severe anemia and in some cases leukemia also known as AML. But which genetic mutations are the critical ones causing this disease?

In this study, researchers took cells from patients with blood cancer MDS and turned them into stem cells to study the deletions of human chromosome 7 often associated with this disease.

With this approach, we were able to pinpoint a region on chromosome 7 that is critical and were able to identify candidate genes residing there that may cause this disease, said lead researcher Eirini Papapetrou, MD, PhD, Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Chromosomal deletions are difficult to study with existing tools because they contain a large number of genes, making it hard to pinpoint the critical ones causing cancer. Chromosome 7 deletion is a characteristic cellular abnormality in MDS and is well-recognized for decades as a marker of unfavorable prognosis. However, the role of this deletion in the development of the disease remained unclear going into this study.

Understanding the role of specific chromosomal deletions in cancers requires determining if a deletion has observable consequences as well as identifying which specific genetic elements are critically lost. Researchers used cellular reprogramming and genome engineering to dissect the loss of chromosome 7. The methods used in this study for engineering deletions can enable studies of the consequences of alterations in genes in human cells.

Genetic engineering of human stem cells has not been used for disease-associated genomic deletions, said Dr. Papapetrou. This work sheds new light on how blood cancer develops and also provides a new approach that can be used to study chromosomal deletions associated with a variety of human cancers, neurological and developmental diseases.

Reprogramming MDS cells could provide a powerful tool to dissect the architecture and evolution of this disease and to link the genetic make-up of MDS cells to characteristics and traits of these cells. Further dissecting the MDS stem cells at the molecular level could provide insights into the origins and development of MDS and other blood cancers. Moreover, this work could provide a platform to test and discover new treatments for these diseases.

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Mount Sinai Researchers Discover Genetic Origins of Myelodysplastic Syndrome Using Stem Cells

Investigational Therapies and Stem Cell Research in PAH
From PHA #39;s 2014 International PH Conference and Scientific Sessions. Panelists: Raymond Benza, MD, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Chair) Vallerie McLaughlin, MD, University of...

By: PHAssociation

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Investigational Therapies and Stem Cell Research in PAH - Video

The pioneering treatment involves cells taken from a patients own body Theseare then reinjected into their heart to repair damaged muscle Could improve quality of life for patients suffering from heart failure This is caused by heart failing to pump enough blood around the body at the right pressure

By Roger Dobson and Katherine Keogh For The Mail On Sunday

Published: 17:16 EST, 21 March 2015 | Updated: 18:15 EST, 21 March 2015

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A pioneering treatment that uses stem cells to repair a broken heart could transform the lives of people with a potentially fatal cardiac condition.

The 15-minute procedure involves cells taken from a patients own body, which are then reinjected into their heart to repair damaged muscle.

It is hoped that the procedure could improve the quality of life for patients suffering from heart failure, which affects 900,000 people in the UK.

The condition is caused by the heart failing to pump enough blood around the body at the right pressure, because the muscle has become too weak or stiff to work properly. It causes breathlessness and extreme tiredness, and can even lead to sudden death.

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How stem cells can fix a broken heart with just one jab