Iran using stem cells to reduce amputations
Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:23:19 GMT
By Patricia Khashayar, MD., Press TV, Tehran
Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi
Following the success of Iranian scientists in using stem cells to
treat vascular occlusion and critical limb ischemia in the lower
extremities, Press TV has conducted an interview with research team
leader Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi.
Dr. Zafarghandi who is a professor of vascular surgery in Tehran
University of medical Sciences and the head of the vascular surgery
and trauma department of Sina Hospital.
Press TV: According to news reports, you have successfully treated 12
patients suffering from vascular occlusion using stem cells. Could
you tell us more about it?
Zafarghandi: Critical limb ischemia (CLI) results from severe
occlusive disease that impairs distal limb perfusion to the point
where oxygen delivery is no longer adequate to meet the metabolic
needs of the tissue, even under resting conditions.
In order to treat CLI sufferers, several medications are prescribed
to reduce the progression of the disease, its risk factors, and the
associating pain. The patient is also urged to stop smoking. The
definite treatment, however, is made through inserting a stent in the
affected site or performing a bypass graft in the more serious cases.
These treatments depend on the severity of the disease; in cases with
total occlusion of the terminal arteries, however, none of the
abovementioned methods are effective.
In this method, we stimulated the formation of true new blood vessels
(angiogenesis) and the development of collateral vessels from
preexisting blood vessels (arteriogenesis)
processes in the pathophysiology of vascular disease, aiming to
provide an alternative treatment strategy for patients with lower
limb ischemia.
Previous studies had reported the role of bone-marrow mononuclear
cells (BM-MNC) in increasing collateral vessel formation in both
ischemic limb models and patients with limb ischemia.
Considering the fact that the proliferation and migration of
progenitor endothelial cells (EPC) located in bone marrow and
peripheral blood are responsible for neovascularization occurring in
response to tissue injury and remodeling, we used mononuclear cells
extracted from the patient's bone marrow to induce
neovascularization.
Our findings revealed promising results in 12 out of 15 patients
awaiting leg amputation due to CLI secondary to buerger's disease and
diabetic foot. None of these 12 cases needed amputation after they
were treated with our innovative method.
Press TV: Does this method prevent from amputation in every patient
suffering from critical limb ischemia regardless of the underlying
cause?
Zafarghandi: The patients suffering from peripheral artery diseases
(PAD) such as buerger's disease and diabetic foot, in whom different
attempts to revascularize the affected site have failed, seem to be
the best candidates for this method.
Further studies, however, are required to identify the patients who
benefit from this method as the present research is still in its
primary stages.
Press TV: How do you see the future advancements in this field?
Zafarghandi: This method can help save the lower extremities in PAD
patients, accounting for 15% of all adults older than 55 years. More
over, it lowers the heavy burden caring for disabled patients imposes
on their families and the society.
http://www.presstv.
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StemCells subscribers may also be interested in these sites:
Children's Neurobiological Solutions
http://www.CNSfoundation.org/
Cord Blood Registry
http://www.CordBlood.com/at.cgi?a=150123
The CNS Healing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNS_Healing
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