Treatment of lung diseases using the patient's stem cells

Patients with chronic lung disease are at risk of oxygen deprivation, including hypoxemia (low oxygen in the blood) or hypoxia (lack of oxygen in body tissues). Such conditions are dangerous for human health and life. That is why the treatment of lung diseases – important task of modern medicine. The specialists of the Lung Institute (Lung Institute) present innovative solutions in the field of regenerative medicine, namely the treatment of lung diseases with stem cells.

Treatment of lung diseases with stem cells: general information

Therapies offered by the Lung Institute can be used to treat lung diseases such as:

• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease);
• pulmonary fibrosis;
• chronic bronchitis;
• emphysema;
• interstitial lung disease.

Doctors at the Lung Institute successfully use a revolutionary, minimally invasive stem cell method to treat lung diseases. Transplantation of autologous stem cells and platelet-rich plasma contributes to the healing of damaged lung tissue.

Therapy consists of three main steps:

1. Removal of patient stem cells from blood or bone marrow.
2. Separation of stem cells.
3. Re-introduction of stem cells into the body (intravenously or through an inhaler), where they promote the natural healing of lung tissues and suppress inflammation. 

 

Stem cells – they are living building blocks that have the ability to self-repair and reproduce.

A stem cell can form any type of tissue in the body.  Plasticity – a key function of stem cells in regenerative medicine, which allows cells from one organ to create tissues for another organ.

For the treatment of lung diseases, the Lung Institute uses patients' own (autologous) stem cells obtained from:

• blood;
• bone marrow.

How do stem cells get to the lungs?

When a drug, blood or stem cells is administered intravenously into the body, the injected substance enters directly into the right chamber of the heart. With one or two heartbeats, the substance is delivered directly to the lungs, after which the blood carries the said substance throughout the body.

 

However, in the case of stem cells, this process looks somewhat different. Research conducted by the National Institutes of Health has shown that stem cells enter and remain in the lungs during this process. This phenomenon is called "lung trap"; (pulmonary trap), and it can slow down the progression of chronic lung diseases. 

How do stem cells help in the treatment of lung diseases?

In chronic lung diseases, the function of this vital organ gradually deteriorates. Unfortunately, the outcome of COPD, interstitial lung disease, and pneumoconiosis is often fatal.

Treatment of lung diseases using stem cells, although not a panacea, helps not only to alleviate symptoms, but also speed up the recovery of the patient.

When stem cells enter the lung trap, they begin to form healthy lung tissue. The results of the research speak for themselves:

• more than 70% of patients improve their quality of life;
• many patients have a reduced amount of oxygen used (as part of oxygen therapy);
• Some patients experience improvement in pulmonary function tests.

Therefore, the treatment of lung diseases using stem cells can be an excellent addition to traditional methods of dealing with such diseases.