Stem Cell Therapy for COPD Treatment

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Overview

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD or Lung Disease) is a term that refers to a range of lung conditions (diseases) that can make it difficult for the body to expel air from the lungs. Symptoms of COPD include weariness and shortness of breath (breathlessness). A person with emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or a mix of the two can be diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD or Lung Disease).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 3.23 million deaths in 2019. More than 80% of these deaths took place in low- and middle-income nations (LMIC). According to some studies, between 5% and 62 % of COPD patients have been misdiagnosed, resulting in medical negligence, surgical treatments that cause delayed recovery, and a slew of other issues.

COVID-19 & COPD

The number of patients with lung problems increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021. One of the most serious side effects of the COVID-19 virus was COPD. Given COVID-19’s potentially fatal effects on the lungs, it’s understandable to be concerned about people with COPD. Estimating their increased risk of getting COVID-19, especially its more severe respiratory manifestations, has proven difficult in this pandemic for a variety of reasons. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one-third of adult COVID-19 patients in the world have an airway-related illness such as COPD.

Stem Cell for COPD

The current medical treatment for COPD focuses solely on symptom alleviation, with little hope of reversing lung function degradation or improving patient quality of life. The application of stem cells to the treatment of lung illnesses has a lot of appeal. Stem cells have been employed to rebuild lung parenchyma and airway structures because they can develop into a range of cell types. Stem cell treatment is a viable therapeutic method for people with COPD who want to regain lung function and enhance their quality of life. For a better understanding, the following overview outlines the present level of knowledge on COPD, its treatment with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and the process for booking an appointment.

Symptoms and Causes of COPD

Symptoms

Breathing problems, especially when doing vigorous activities
Wheezing
Tightness in the chest
A chronic cough that produces clear, white, yellow, or greenish mucus (sputum).
Respiratory infections are common.
Energy deficiency
Weight loss that was unintentional (in later stages)
Exacerbations of swelling in the ankles, feet, or legs are likely to occur.

Causes

Tobacco smoking (most common cause), especially long-term cigarette smoking
Exposure to fumes from burning fuel for cooking and heating in poorly ventilated homes
Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (genetics- 1% of people)
Asthma
Occupational exposure to dust and chemicals.

Types of COPD conditions treated by Stem cell Therapy

Emphysema

It is a lung condition that results in shortness of breath. The air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) are destroyed in persons with emphysema. The inner walls of the air sacs weaken and rupture over time, resulting in bigger air gaps rather than many small ones. This limits the amount of oxygen that reaches your bloodstream by reducing the surface area of your lungs. Long-term exposure to airborne irritants, such as tobacco smoke, marijuana smoking, air pollution, chemical fumes, and dust, is the leading cause of emphysema. Emphysema is occasionally caused by a hereditary lack of a protein that protects the lungs’ elastic structures. This condition caused by alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency is known as alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency emphysema. Differentiation is the ability of stem cells to transform into any cell in the body. They can be given intravenously and are used to locate damaged tissues around organs. In the case of COPD patients, stem cells can help to rebuild damaged lung tissue and fight emphysema.

Chronic bronchitis

Bronchitis occurs when the bronchial airways in your lungs become inflamed. This inflammation can result in intense coughing, mucus production, wheezing, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Acute and chronic are the two main categories. Chronic bronchitis is bronchial inflammation that lasts for a long time. It’s a common occurrence among smokers. People with chronic bronchitis are more susceptible to lung infections. They also suffer from acute bronchitis, which causes their symptoms to worsen. When utilized on COPD patients, stem cells can help to restore damaged lung tissue and fight emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Stem cells contain anti-inflammatory capabilities that can help people with chronic bronchitis clear their airways.

Importance of Stem Cell Therapy for COPD Treatment

People with COPD find it more difficult to carry out their typical daily activities as the disease develops, sometimes due to dyspnea. Due to the loss of productivity at work and at home, as well as the costs of medical treatment, there may be a significant financial burden. People with COPD may require further treatment at home or admission to the hospital for emergency care if their symptoms worsen during flare-ups. Flare-ups that are severe can be fatal. Heart disease, osteoporosis, musculoskeletal diseases, lung cancer, depression, and anxiety are all common in people who have COPD. Both structural damage and chronic inflammation play a role in COPD-related airway obstruction. Inhaled irritants can harm the components of the respiratory system over time, as well as cause inflammation and narrowing of the airways.

COPD is still incurable presently. Fortunately, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the ability to address both of the disease’s contributing components.

Stem cells are unspecialized cells that, through a process known as ‘differentiation,’ can transform into any type of cell in the body. When these cells are injected into a patient’s body, they move to dead or damaged tissue and orchestrate healing and regeneration.

Eligibility of Stem Cell Therapy for COPD Treatment

Every person who is suffering from any type of COPD condition is considered eligible for stem cell COPD treatment. Some of the criteria on which a patient’s condition is evaluated are-

Patients in the initial stage of COPD
People with an end-stage of COPD
There are several absolute contraindications that can preclude a patient from being considered for a stem cell treatment that is still in the process of figuring out
The traditional age limit for stem cell transplantation is 65 years
Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.

Stem Cell Treatment Protocol used for COPD by GAIA (in association with CEMAB)

COPD treatments are currently aimed at relieving symptoms, preventing complications, and slowing disease progression. COPD has no known cure. Medications that help lessen symptoms and flare-ups are among the options for treatment. These should be used in conjunction with self-care strategies such as a nutritious diet, frequent exercise, and quitting smoking. COPD affects each person differently, and treatment is individualized based on symptoms and the stage of the disease. Everything is reviewed before starting the stem cell treatment for COPD, and a treatment strategy is assigned for a specific condition.

A treatment protocol is a step-by-step strategy for a scientific or medical experiment, procedure, or treatment. It describes what the experiment will do, how it will be done, and why it will be done in clinical trials. With the aforementioned considerations in mind, a team of stem cell experts at CEMAB has developed some of the most effective therapy procedures. The COPD therapy strategy tries to lessen the body’s overall levels of chronic low-grade inflammation. The consequences are expected to linger for a long period.

Treatment Protocol-

Our two-day protocol centers on the intrathecal transplant of stem cells
A minimum of 120 million cord tissue-derived MSCs (Mesenchymal Stem Cells) are injected intravenously.
The procedure takes approximately 45 minutes, is minimally invasive, and has very little downtime.
Patients normally travel home two days following their scheduled appointment.

Advantages of Stem Cell Therapy for COPD Treatment

When utilized on COPD patients, stem cells can help to restore damaged lung tissue and fight emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Stem cells contain anti-inflammatory capabilities that can help people with chronic bronchitis clear their airways. People with COPD may benefit from stem cells because they can help reduce inflammation in the airways, which can help prevent additional damage. constructing new, healthy lung tissue capable of replacing any damaged tissue in the lungs. Following treatment, many patients reported improved lung capacity and the ability to walk again. While stem cell therapy cannot ‘cure’ COPD, it can mend damaged tissue while remaining relatively non-invasive. When you consider that current treatment methods may necessitate the use of ventilators or even entire lung transplants, which are both rare and expensive, this new treatment becomes even more appealing. Researchers at the Lung Health Institute discovered that over 82 % who had stem cell treatment saw noticeable improvements in their quality of life in a report titled ‘Autologous Stem Cell Therapy & its Effects on COPD.’

Other benefits of Stem cell treatment for COPD, especially from GAIA (in association with CEMAB) via MediGence-

No hospitalization required
No surgical intervention
No delayed recovery
Long-lasting results without any permanent side effects
Virtual consultation available before treatment

How To Apply For Stem Cell Treatment for COPD?

Applying for stem cell therapy is very convenient and hassle-free for you through MediGence-

Step1– Send us an inquiry with relevant details of your condition
Step2– Our team of experts will validate your case
Step3– A dedicated patient care manager will be assigned to your case
Step4– Once validated, you can also avail a teleconsultation with our stem cell specialist

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can stem cells cure COPD permanently?

There is no cure for COPD at this time. Only medicines that improve quality of life and reduce illness progression are available. However, new research suggests that stem cells could aid in the treatment of this form of lung illness. Doctors, specialists, and researchers are still working to determine its long-term viability. It also depends on your follow-up activities; for example, if you stop smoking, the treatment will have long-term effects.

How does stem cell therapy work for COPD Treatment?

You must have a good concept of what COPD is and how stem cell treatment can help it up to this point. To refresh your memory, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung illness that makes breathing difficult. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are the two primary kinds of COPD. Many persons with COPD have both of these symptoms.

One or more of the following alterations in the lungs and airways are caused by COPD:

The air sacs and airways lose their ability to stretch.
The walls of the air sacs are destroyed.
The walls of the airways become thickened and inflamed.
The airways become clogged with mucus.

Since COPD is incurable, stem cell therapy is regarded as the most cutting-edge, non-invasive, and successful treatment for enhancing a patient’s quality of life. When these cells are injected into a patient’s body, they move to dead or damaged tissue and orchestrate healing and regeneration.

Every organism requires stem cells, which have three main characteristics:

They can regenerate themselves by dividing cells.
Although they appear to be indistinguishable at first, they may differentiate and take on the qualities of a variety of structures and tissues as needed.
They can be transplanted into another organism and will divide and replicate normally.

MSCs may be able to repair and regenerate damaged lung tissue when given to COPD patients; also, MSCs have inherent anti-inflammatory capabilities that can help reduce the inflammation that exacerbates COPD. While COPD stem cell treatment is still in its early stages of development, encouraging research suggests that stem cell therapy could help with the disease.

COPD is characterised by chronic airway inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which result in persistent lung damage. Oxidative stress is a sort of cellular damage caused by a discrepancy between the synthesis of damaging oxidant molecules and the ability of cells to remove them using antioxidants. Due to their ability to grow into a variety of other cell types and create compounds with immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative capabilities, MSCs are becoming more popular as a potential COPD treatment.

Why Do International Patients Trust Us?

MediGence is a health-tech organization that specializes in improving quality healthcare accessibility using its innovative set of tools and technology. With a global network of internationally certified and recognized healthcare providers, we strive hard to simplify the complexity in availing the expert second opinion (named thinkTWICE), online virtual consultation (Telemedicine), Treatment overseas (multiple options), Treatment with complimentary additional benefits & discounts (Prebundled packages), and Post-operative care (comprehensive patient care with post-op packages). Many other services are still in progress.

Following the HIPAA and GDPR compliances, MediGence became one of the first companies certified by TEMOS for upholding international quality standards.

MediGence has always placed a premium on gaining and maintaining the trust of its patients and the physicians with whom it works. We’ve always strived for excellence and expanded our service offerings to our patients in order to increase healthcare accessibility and quality of life for them. We’ve formed a number of useful and reputable partnerships with world-class hospitals and doctors all over the world. We, like the others, have brought GAIA from Colombia (a world-renowned stem cell advanced laboratory in association with CEMAB) on board, as we recognize the importance of stem cells in the future. Stem cells are often regarded as the medicine of the future.

Some major values that we follow are-

Our focus is safety, efficacy, and patient-centric care when providing access to superior stem cell therapy and other treatment techniques
We utilize only board-certified surgeons, physicians, and accredited clinicians to provide care for patients.
A clinical team with expertise in practicing stem cell therapy for various conditions at GAIA & CEMAB
Methods of administering stem cells that steer them to certain conditions
Skilled Patient Advocates/Advisors who are trained to provide truthful, realistic expectations resulting from stem cells therapy. We do not make outlandish promises of cures or inaccurate claims related to improvement rates

We have numerous reasons as to why choose us for your medical accessibility partner-

Patients’ convenience is our motto and for that, in these years of our existence, we have launched patient-centric services & products such as Telemedicine, thinkTwice, Prebundled & Prenegotiated Packages for availing treatment abroad with additional benefits, our network of 4000+ doctors in 20+ countries, our exploring platform for multiple treatments overseas, our logistics arrangement, and much more.
MediGence ensures that you receive complete attention and a stress-free medical experience in addition to delivering products and services. Keeping this in mind, we’ve assigned specialist case managers to your case, who will handle all of your coordination with the doctor, healthcare staff, and hospital, as well as any other necessary logistics arrangements.
Not only do we have a large network of healthcare providers visiting or connecting with us from all over the world, but we also have a wide network of patients who have complete faith in us to handle their entire medical journey. We have been the most popular healthcare providers among patients from Turkey, India, Russia, Spain, Singapore, Lithuania, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the United Kingdom, and a variety of other countries.
We chose to work with GAIA for stem cell therapies because we wanted to broaden our service offerings and help suffering people all over the world avoid invasive surgical procedures.
Together, we are providing stem cell treatment for successfully treating autoimmune or inflammatory diseases like Autism, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Arthritis, Lupus, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Diabetes, Psoriasis, Graves’ Disease, and many others – often with breathtaking results.
We have a network of several doctors from Central and South America. who have helped thousands of patients restore their health with STEM CELL therapies. They have demonstrated an impeccable safety profile, and the results have often been breathtaking, utilizing these advanced treatments that are not available in the world.
We work with pioneers of stem cell science who have bought this cutting-edge technology in the world and that too at affordable rates.
Many celebrities have benefited from stem cell therapies and they have also encouraged people in many talk shows by telling them the advantages of stem cells.
There is no compromise on the treatment quality due to reduced prices, as we have already established beneficial mutual collaborations with the hospitals & doctors.
Before undertaking the stem cell treatment, MediGence always prefers you to consult with the specialists via phone consultation or teleconsultation, which can help you with more clarity regarding your condition and treatment eligibility, possibilities, durability, & other factors.

Providing an epilogue to the above benefits with MediGence, we have-

150+ years of collective healthcare and technology experience
Patient-centric approach with a focus on well-being
Affordable healthcare options worldwide
Ease of access of the world’s best healthcare
Patients’ data privacy by complying to HIPAA and GDPR compliance

Is Stem Cell treatment safe?

It is, without a doubt, a risk-free procedure, which does not require any surgical technique. Anti-inflammatory medicines, in combination with other therapy, are now used to treat COPD. Current treatments, on the other hand, are ineffective. CEMAB (in association with GAIA) concluded after years of hard labour and research that cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation is a safe and effective therapy option for patients with moderate to severe COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

How long do I have to stay in the country for the procedure and follow-up consultations?

A single stem cell procedure for COPD takes about 45 minutes and does not require any surgical intervention. Patients usually fly home after two days of treatment, and rehabilitation is dependent on follow-up consultations. It’s critical that you and your caregiver prepare for this transition before you return home. To stay healthy and avoid illness, you’ll still need to take precautions. It’s critical that you participate in the planning of your at-home care. Before you leave, your transplant team will work with you to develop plans for your follow-up treatment. MediGence will help you with the follow-up consultations with the stem cell specialists of CEMAB.

Is it possible to consult a Stem Cell specialist before I decide to travel?

It is not just possible but a must have part of the process to consult a CEMBAB’s Stem cell specialist prior to you planning a medical travel for your condition. Telemedicine not just eases monitoring the health of a patient via technology, it also lowers the need for personally visiting a specialist. The specialist can reconfirm prescriptions and recommend tests. Also, it lessens the effort required by home-bound patients who can seek medical consultation without exposure to a hospital or healthcare establishment. The said consultation will also assist you in making an effective decision regards this new age treatment. It will give you the required confidence in and help you with the resources that a Stem cell treatment encapsulates.

How can MediGence assist in the overall process?

Individuals have different rates of advancement and different symptoms. With this in mind, MediGence has committed to assisting you at every stage of your stem cell journey. Our combined 150+ years of healthcare experience serve as a source of strength. For your convenience, we have stem cell experts, qualified and experienced patient advocates, specialised case managers, and a 24-hour consultation service.

The following is the response to the question of how we can help you with the complete stem cell process-

MediGence connects you with a network of certified & most recognized doctors and our patient-centric services
MediGence is in-charge of your complete stem cell treatment process, from booking to recovery.
MediGence- Walks you through the full treatment process as well as the benefits you’ll receive.
Transparently displays the cost of stem cell therapy for each disease/condition
In just a click, we will established your contact with one of our ‘Stem cell specialists’ for a quick chat about your eligibility and treatment protocol.
Make an appointment with your doctor for an online consultation via Telemedicine, before you travel.
Make an appointment with GAIA for your treatment.
When you’re ready to fly for treatment, make your plans.
Your treatment plan includes follow-up consultations.

Before initiating a treatment/procedure, MediGence will ensure that you receive all essential answers during your consultation. That’s why we recommend calling us and speaking with one of our knowledgeable representatives. Schedule a personal, one-on-one appointment to discuss your concerns and learn more about our cutting-edge treatments to see if stem cell Spinal cord injury treatment is right for your child. Please contact us right away!

References:

Amit Bansal

Amit Bansal is a serial entrepreneur, Co-Founder, and CEO of MediGence. He has more than 17 years of strong technology experience. Having worked for some of the recognized companies in India, Australia and traveled worldwide to help businesses to grow multi-folded under his leadership and strategic guidance.

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