Stem cells are a trend in modern medicine. In the 21st century, it is one of the key subjects of clinical research. It is expected that in the near future it will be possible not only to restore, but even to re-grow organs and tissues destroyed by disease with the help of stem cells. There are also achievements in the present. Stem cells are used in many fields of medicine, most often in oncology, orthopedics, neurology and cardiology. You can undergo the best stem cell therapy in Germany to take advantage of the latest achievements of regenerative medicine.
Stem Cell Transplantation
Stem cell transplant treatment is most commonly used in hematology and oncology. Doctors perform stem cell transplantation after high-dose chemotherapy, sometimes in combination with radiation.
Stem cell transplantation for cancer treatment can be autologous and allogeneic. For malignant diseases, allogeneic transplantation, i.e. transplantation from a donor, is mainly used. The donor can be a relative or a person from the donor base who matches the recipient in terms of antigens.
Doctors give high-dose chemotherapy to completely destroy the malignant tumor. It is more effective than standard chemotherapy, but it destroys bone marrow. Then oncologists inject stem cells intravenously, they settle in the bones and give rise to the new bone marrow.
If donor cells are transplanted, a “graft versus tumor” reaction is activated after successful transplantation. As a result, the procedure can cure cancer in many patients.
Stem Cells in Orthopedics
German stem cell clinics often use stem cells in orthopedics. They are used to repair joint cartilage and for bone fusion. Stem cells can differentiate into cartilage cells. In addition, they release a large number of growth factors that stimulate regenerative processes.
In orthopedics, doctors use the patient’s own stem cells. They are no longer taken from the bone marrow. The cells are taken from blood or adipose tissue, which is simpler. Adipose tissue has more cells, so they can be injected immediately without being cultured. If the cells are harvested from peripheral blood, they are cultured to increase their number.
Stem cells are often used to treat joints. They are used for osteoarthritis, after trauma and surgical interventions. The cells are injected into the joint cavity.
Another frequent area of application is the delayed union of bone fractures. The introduction of stem cells can speed up this process. The method is particularly useful for elderly patients, whose bones heal slowly and not always successfully, as well as for athletes and physically active people who want to recover from an injury or surgery as quickly as possible.
Use in Other Medical Fields
In recent years, stem cells have been increasingly used in medicine. For instance, using stem cells for multiple sclerosis in Germany is a common ussie. They are also widely used in neurology to treat cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, autism and diabetic neuropathy. The cells are used to restore nerve tissue after stroke and brain injury, and to improve the function of peripheral nerves, such as in optic nerve atrophy. The cells are usually injected intravenously, less commonly directly into the site of the lesion (e.g., into the eye or cerebrospinal fluid). Autologous stem cell transplantation is used to treat sclerosis that is resistant to other therapies.
Another common area of application for cell therapy is cardiology. Cardiac muscle is damaged in many diseases, most commonly in ischemic heart disease. Stem cells are used to repair the heart muscle after a heart attack, in dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure.
Stem cells are also used in other areas of medicine – in situations where part of an organ has been destroyed and cannot perform its functions. Stem cell therapy makes it possible to partially restore the organ. Stem cell therapy is used in lung fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis and conditions after pancreatic cancer treatment, diabetes mellitus, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.
You can get stem cell therapy in Germany even if you are not a German citizen. Use the Booking Health service to compare the cost of treatment in the best stem cell therapy clinics in Germany and book a medical program at the best price.