Pulmonary Fibrosis — Stem Cell Therapy for Pulmonary Fibrosis: treatment in the Best Hospitals in the World
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Clinic of Advanced Biological Medicine Frankfurt am Main
Department of Alternative Medicine
The Department of Alternative Medicine specializes in the treatment of various types of cancer and chronic diseases using the methods of integrative medicine. The department belongs to few medical facilities in Germany, which offer individual treatment regimens using biological and integrative techniques. The department has state-of-the-art medical technologies, as well as a multidisciplinary team of competent specialists in various medical fields, including therapists, oncologists, gynecologists, urologists, orthopedists, nephrologists, surgeons, cardiologists and others. In addition, the department has a pleasant and friendly atmosphere.
Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease that causes the gradual replacement of the lung by connective (scar) tissue. Although not all alveoli are damaged, the formation of a large amount of dense tissue impairs lung compliance and interferes with normal breathing. With innovative therapies, doctors can slow the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Foreign specialists consider stem cell treatment to be one of the most promising directions in the fight against this disease.
Content
- What types of stem cells are used?
- How do stem cells work?
- What is the process of pulmonary fibrosis treatment with stem cells?
- Where to undergo pulmonary fibrosis treatment with stem cells?
What types of stem cells are used?
Stem cells are poorly differentiated cells that can develop into other cell lines. Different types of stem cells differ in their degree of maturity, and accordingly, they can turn into more or less different cells. The path that the further differentiation of stem cells will follow depends on the microenvironment into which they fall.
Different hospitals use different types of stem cells (SCs) for lung diseases. Dosages of stem cells, methods of their harvesting, and methods of their injection also differ. It is still an experimental treatment for patients with pulmonary fibrosis that is not standardized.
As part of clinical trials, physicians use induced pluripotent, embryonic, mesenchymal, and adipose stem cells. Mesenchymal bone marrow stem cells are most commonly used, as they show the best results in the treatment of fibrosis. Stem cells can also be collected from the patient's blood.
How do stem cells work?
Stem cells have the following two important properties:
- controlled and unlimited ability to self-renewal;
- the possibility of differentiation (maturation) into specific cell lines.
Mesenchymal stem cells are considered the most effective. They are harvested from bone marrow and cord blood. These stem cells are multipotent, which means that they can differentiate into a wide range of cell lines.
The mechanisms of action of stem cells are the following:
- stem cells are embedded in defect zones and restore damaged tissues;
- stem cells reduce inflammation;
- stem cells have antiproliferative properties because they block the growth of scar tissue;
- stem cells have antiapoptotic properties because they prevent the death of normal lung cells;
- stem cells have immunomodulatory properties because they normalize immune responses.
When using different methods of stem cell injection into the patient's body, the concentration of stem cells in the lungs may differ. But in any case, stem cells reach the affected area, even if they are injected not into the damaged organs but into the patient's blood (intravenously).
What is the process of pulmonary fibrosis treatment with stem cells?
Stem cell treatment methods vary from hospital to hospital in Germany. In any case, stem cells need to be collected and injected somewhere. These are usually collected from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or cord blood. Below are the possible methods of stem cell injection:
- into a vein (into the blood);
- through inhalation when inhaling with a nebulizer.
As a rule, doctors at hospitals in Germany inject stem cells into the blood of patients. Doses usually range from 0.5 to 5 million stem cells per kilogram of body weight.
It is optimal to carry out stem cell treatment in the early period after the development of lung lesions. In this case, you can expect the best treatment results. Stem cells reduce the amount of collagen in the cell matrix and reduce the severity of fibrosis. Long-standing fibrous deposits can, however, also be reduced with cell therapy.
Where to undergo pulmonary fibrosis treatment with stem cells?
You can undergo your treatment for diseases of the bronchopulmonary system in Germany. Doctors in this country provide top-class medical services. Leading hospitals in Germany successfully use stem cell treatment for patients with pulmonary fibrosis.
You are welcome to use the Booking Health service to select a hospital in Germany. On our website, you can find prices and choose a medical care program. Cell therapy at hospitals in Germany will help you improve your breathing, slow down the progression of fibrosis, and even achieve regression of this disease. In the fight against the disease, doctors at hospitals in Germany use not only stem cells but also other modern methods, including antifibrotic therapy.
The Booking Health specialists will help you select the most suitable hospital and take care of all the arrangements for your treatment in Germany. When you make an appointment for your treatment through our website, the average cost of treatment in Germany will be lower due to the absence of taxes for foreign patients. Our company's specialists will assist in preparing documents and booking a hotel room and airline tickets. Our company's employees will meet you at the airport and take you to the hospital. After the completion of your medical care program, a return transfer will be organized for you.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board-certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
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