Stem Cell Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
WHAT IS IT ?
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD), also known as chronic obstructive lung disease(COLD), chronic obstructive airway disease (COAD), chronic airflow limitation (CAL) and chronic obstructive respiratory disease (CORD), is the co-occurrence of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, a pair of commonly co-existing diseases of the lungs in which the airways become narrowed. This leads to a limitation of the flow of air to and from the lungs, causing shortness of breath (dyspnea). In clinical practice, COPD is defined by its characteristically low airflow on lung function tests. In contrast to asthma, this limitation is poorly reversible and usually gets progressively worse over time.
In clinical practice, COPD is defined by its characteristically low airflow on lung function tests. In contrast to asthma, this limitation is poorly reversible and usually gets progressively worse over time.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
COPD is caused by noxious particles or gas, most commonly from tobacco smoking, which triggers an abnormal inflammatory response in the lung. The inflammatory response in the larger airways is known as chronic bronchitis, which is diagnosed clinically when people regularly cough up sputum. In the alveoli, the inflammatory response causes destruction of the tissues of the lung, a process known as emphysema. The natural course of COPD is characterized by occasional sudden worsenings of symptoms called acute exacerbations, most of which are caused by infections or air pollution.The diagnosis of COPD requires lung function tests. Important management strategies are smoking cessation, vaccinations, rehabilitation, and drug therapy (often using inhalers). Some patients go on to require long-term oxygen therapy or lung transplantation.
Worldwide, COPD ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in 1990. It is projected to be the fourth leading cause of death worldwide by 2030 due to an increase in smoking rates and demographic changes in many countries. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and the economic burden of COPD in the U.S. in 2007 was $42.6 billion in health care costs and lost productivity.
The twofold nature of the pathology has been studied in the past. Furthermore, also in recent studies, many authors found that each patient could be classified as presenting a predominantly bronchial or emphysematous phenotype by simply analyzing clinical, functional, and radiological findings or studying interesting biomarkers.
Lung damage and inflammation in the large airways results in chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is defined in clinical terms as a cough with sputum production on most days for 3 months of a year, for 2 consecutive years. In the airways of the lung, the hallmark of chronic bronchitis is an increased number and increased size of the goblet cells and >mucous glands of the airway. As a result, there is more mucus than usual in the airways, contributing to narrowing of the airways and causing a cough with sputum.
Lung damage and inflammation of the air sacs results in emphysema. Emphysema is defined as enlargement of the air spaces distal to the terminal bronchioles, with destruction of their walls. The destruction of air space walls reduces the surface area available for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide during breathing. It also reduces the elasticity of the lung itself, which results in a loss of support for the airways that are embedded in the lung. These airways are more likely to collapse causing further limitation to airflow. The effort made by patients suffering from emphysema during exhalation, causes a pink color in their faces, hence the term commonly used to refer to them, “Pink Puffers”.
Spirometry can help to determine the severity of COPD. The FEV1 (measured after bronchodilator medication) is expressed as a percentage of a predicted “normal” value based on a person’s age, gender, height and weight:
Severity of COPD (GOLD scale) FEV1 % predicted
Mild (GOLD 1) ≥80
Moderate (GOLD 2) 50–79
Severe (GOLD 3) 30–49
Very severe (GOLD 4) The severity of COPD also depends on the severity of dyspnea and exercise limitation. These and other factors can be combined with spirometry results to obtain a COPD severity score that takes multiple dimensions of the disease into account.
COPD usually gradually gets worse over time and can lead to death. The rate at which it gets worse varies between individuals. The factors that predict a poorer prognosis are:
*Severe airflow obstruction (low FEV1)
* Poor exercise capacity
* Shortness of breath
* Significantly underweight or overweight
* Complications like respiratory failure or cor pulmonale
* Continued smoking
* Frequent acute exacerbations
Therapy To Treat COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease is a lung condition that reduces the flow of air into the lungs and causes loss of breath. People suffering from this disease can opt for stem cell therapy for COPD treatment in USA. COPD occurs due to air pollution and tobacco smoking. Even when there are very limited options available to a person suffering from this disease, we use stem cell therapy to help a great many patients. The treatment is used to decrease the size of inflammation and to reestablish the lung’s proper function. This treatment also requires you to change your lifestyle to a certain extent.
Stem Cell Therapy
As one confronts the bleakness of this disorder it becomes evident that the current interventions are far less than adaquate and only prolong the progresssive nature of this diseases outcome. The censsation of all irritants is an obvious begining step- however to really experience any level of change the inflammation and some system regeneration coupeled with readjusting the immune response are really the key.
The good news is that there are a number of chemical mechanisms that can be changed to address the typical progressive nature of COPD. Without question the first step is to address the insult and then follow with good respiratroy practices. this means potential changes in your life style, along with nutrient input in the form of a highter protein diet combined with a regime of vitamin and minerals . Once the foundation is in place the use of stem cells to decrease the inflammation, modulate the immune over activity and start to reestablish better cellular function should positively impact your breathing.
In our current patient population we have seen a measurable increase in lung function post treatment. As with all medical interventions there are different levels of change. However the key word is change in a postitive direction vs the obvious decline as expected with this disorder.
After a review of your medical records and discussions with medical staff, a protocol is designed especially for you. Specifics of your condition are addressed along with any special needs. It may be similar to the one illustrated below:
At the clinic you will be examined by our physicians. Information including any risks and expectations concerning your treatment, plus answers to any questions you may have will be addressed. A blood draw, to determine cell counts and other chemistries will be collected and cell expansion medication may be administered. Then you will return to your hotel for a restful day or a good nights sleep.
Our physician/s will review the laboratory results, determine if the cell count is within range, and discuss the response to the stimulation. They may or may not provide additional cell expansion medications and may add adjunctive treatments. The levels of your response will determine if you would return to the hotel, with little restriction on your activities, or possibly go forward with harvesting and processing your cells.
If the cell count and viability is appropriate for harvest either a bone marrow or adipose collection will be utilized. We typically use local anesthetics for adults and general anesthesia for youngsters. The entire procedure normally takes less than 30 minutes. Although some pain is felt when the needle is inserted, most patients do not find the bone marrow collection procedure particularly painful or uncomfortable.
We recently placed a number of videos on our website interviewing our patient’s who discuss the procedure and their lack of discomfort.
After the collection you may return to the hotel, with some restrictions. The bone marrow or adipose collected is processed in our contract State-Of-Art laboratory by trained staff, under the supervision of the lab physician.
As an alternative to the above, cord blood may be used based on the patient’s individual medical condition and options.
You will be treated by IV infusion and will be required to restrict your activities and potentially spend the day at the hotel, after the treatment.
At the clinic or hospital the patient will receive a post-treatment examination and evaluation prior to their release. Optionally there may be the use of additional ancillary therapies to enhance the procedure.
WHAT MAKES OUR TREATMENT DIFFERENT
Our approach includes stimulation, prior to collection, processing and expansion of the cell along with the use of growth factors, together with an integrated medical approach. This maximizes the growth and implantation potentials yielding optimized potentials of making changes in your disease.
Our staff physicians are all board certified, in their field with years of experience. Our team includes both primary and ancillary care professionals devoted to maximizing your benefits from the procedures. We enroll you in an open registry to track your changes independently, for up to 20 years.
As our patient we also keep you abreast of the newest developments in stem cell research. This is an ongoing relationship to maintain and enhance your health.
Our promise is to provide you with travel and lodging support, access to bilingual staff members throughout the entire process and most importantly the best medical care possible.
Advanced stem cell treatments offered by World Stem Cell Clinic to qualified patients at the medical facility in India provides an opportunity for a better quality of life.
6, 9th south cross street, Neelankarai, Chennai 600 115