Top stem cell clinics
Cell therapy is considered one of the most promising areas of medicine. Initially, stem cells (SCs) were used for cancer treatment, but decades after the first successes, indications for the use of cell therapy have expanded significantly. Now they are used for many diseases: not only oncological but also orthopedic, neurological, cardiological, ophthalmological, and others. There are more and more stem cell clinics in the world, and there are almost no areas of medicine in which stem cells are not yet used.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are universal cells from which any tissue develops. There are different types of stem cells. Some give rise to the whole organism, while others only to certain cell lines.
When applying stem cells in medicine, doctors use different types of stem cells. The choice depends on what disease needs to be cured and what organs and tissues need to be restored.
Stem cells have already become part of the standard therapy for many diseases and are included in the recommendations of medical organizations. And what is more, the costs of cell therapy are covered by insurance companies. At the same time, many pathologies are still not standard indications for the use of stem cells. Cell therapy for these pathologies is currently in clinical trials and is used in a small number of clinics.
What diseases can be treated in cell therapy clinics?
There are clinics in Germany and other developed countries that pay great attention to cell therapy. They develop it, research it, and apply it in practice.
Cell therapy clinics treat the following pathologies:
- Cancers, such as leukemias, lymphomas, multiple myeloma, testicular cancer, and some tumors in the central nervous system
- Cerebral palsy treatment, as well as therapy for epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and other types of dementia, sclerosis treatment, therapy for Parkinson’s disease, and other neurodegenerative pathologies
- Eye diseases, including retinal and optic nerve diseases
- Orthopedic diseases, such as bone fractures with delayed healing, torn ligaments, osteoarthritis, and chronic tendon inflammation
- Rehabilitation after injuries and operations for accelerated tissue repair
- Internal organ failure, including heart, kidney, or liver failure, pulmonary fibrosis, and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
- Pathologies caused by circulatory deficiency, such as strokes, myocardial infarction, erectile dysfunction, and atherosclerosis of the blood vessels in the brain and limbs
- Joint therapy for diabetes mellitus complications
How is cell therapy performed?
Stem cell therapy can be performed in a variety of ways, depending on the indications for its use.
Physicians may use donor stem cells or the patient’s own cells (which is more common). A donor stem cell transplant is unsafe. Therefore, it is used only in the most severe cases, mainly in oncological diseases with bone marrow lesions.
Stem cells can be collected from different tissues. Initially, they were taken mainly from the bone marrow. However, this procedure is traumatic and is performed under anesthesia, so more often than not, stem cells are harvested from the patient’s blood. Adipose tissue can also be used as a source of stem cells. Many mesenchymal stem cells can be collected from it, which develop into connective tissue cells. This approach to cell therapy is widely used in orthopedics.
Stem cells can be administered intravenously or locally: inside the joint, into the eye, into the cerebrospinal fluid, or into other areas, depending on the location of the pathology. If the goal is to restore the function of an organ, stem cells can be injected into the artery that supplies it.
If you want to undergo your stem cell therapy, you are welcome to visit the Booking Health website to find out prices, select a clinic, and make your treatment appointment at the best price. Our website presents the best hospitals that use cell therapy. The specialists at the Booking Health company will help you select a clinic and organize your trip abroad.
