Participants in TCA Cellular Therapy's Stem Cell Protocol
Experiencing Remarkable Results
Posted on: Thursday, 29 May 2008, 18:00 CDT
Participants in a Federal Drug Administration (FDA) protocol at TCA
Cellular Therapy utilizing stem cells to treat lower limb ischemia
are experiencing increased mobility and decreased pain in lower legs.
Lower limb ischemia is a condition where plaque build-up causes
decreased circulation in the lower leg. Symptoms of the condition
include intense pain and swelling.
Study participants may have had different factors that contributed to
their condition: a family history of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD),
history of smoking and other vascular conditions. Common among them
however, were that more traditional treatments (utilizing stents and
grafts) were ineffectual and that the patients were losing their
ability to continue their daily activities.
Meryl Sharp was an avid gardener before she had to give up the hobby
last year. She could no longer walk the length of the lawn without
stopping to rest her throbbing legs. "It got to the point where the
intervals of rest were not even enough to ease the pain," she said.
The study participants were referred by their vascular surgeons to
TCA Cellular Therapy, where Gabriel Lasala, M.D. and Jose Minguell,
Ph.D. have been authorized by the FDA to study the safety and
efficacy of stem cell therapy for lower limb ischemia.
"The similarity in the recovery of our patients is promising," said
Dr. Lasala. "We find that the stem cells, once re-injected, go about
forming new blood vessels, thus increasing circulation dramatically.
Drs. Lasala and Minguell have developed a treatment where a patient's
own stem cells are taken from the hip, grown in a sterile environment
and then re-infused into 38 areas of the leg.
So far, ten patients have received the stem cell treatment for
peripheral vascular disease.
"Patients are experiencing increased mobility within weeks of their
infusions. The continued improvement throughout their recoveries is a
positive sign," Lasala said.
Carleton Wert could only walk 2 1/2 minutes on the treadmill before
he underwent the stem cell therapy. At his three week check-up, he
clocked 4 minutes. Within two months, his time improved to over 10
minutes.
Similarly, Michael Pearl could not even undergo the treadmill test
prior to his infusion in mid-November because his pain was so
intense. He went from walking 5 minutes at his one-month check-up to
18 minutes at the three-month mark.
With increased mobility, Dr. Lasala's patients are resuming their
normal routines. Wert, who was on disability because of the ischemia,
is now seeking employment. Sharp has gone back to gardening, creating
a new antique garden with her husband in their front yard.
Perhaps most striking is the transformation experienced by Penny
Kibideaux. Running out of options to treat her ischemia, Kibideaux
had already scheduled a leg amputation. Under the advice of her
physician, Kibideaux went to see Dr. Lasala. Not only has he saved
her leg, Kibideaux says he has saved her life. Just weeks after her
November infusion, she walked several shopping malls as part of her
Christmas shopping. She has also recently taken up line dancing.
The FDA protocol study will continue for the next two years, after
which Dr. Lasala expects that stem cell treatment for lower limb
ischemia will be widely utilized in the medical community.
"We are excited that our patients are responding well to the
treatment," he said. "We hope that more people will be able to
experience relief and improve their quality of life through this
procedure."
About TCA Cellular Therapy:
TCA Cellular Therapy is the only private company in the United States
that is participating in FDA protocols related to stem cell research.
Under the direction of Medical Director Gabriel Lasala, M.D. and
Scientific Director Jose Minguell, Ph.D., TCA Cellular Therapy is
undergoing pioneering research with stem cell therapy for limb
ischemia. Its affiliated company, LifeSource Cryobank, LLC is a
privately-owned, FDA registered, state of the art laboratory
committed to ensuring the safety and integrity of stem cells derived
from both umbilical cord blood and adult bone marrow in a totally
secure environment. Both companies are located in Covington,
Louisiana.
Source: Business Wire
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StemCells subscribers may also be interested in these sites:
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Cord Blood Registry
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The CNS Healing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNS_Healing
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