I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Medical Breakthroughs => Topic started by: Everlasting on November 23, 2009, 10:24:31 AM

Title: Stem Cells - How do they do it?
Post by: Everlasting on November 23, 2009, 10:24:31 AM

A small incision (1 inch) is made by the physician in the areas in closest proximity to the problem area.  Stem cells together with tissue is placed in the hole and one suture closes the incision line.
    In Victor's case, he will receive incisions in each kidney area as well as areas that are in relation to the brain as he continues to experience issues from a stroke he experienced in September.  He will receive incisions in each temporal area as well as one at the back of his neck where the spinal cord reaches the brainstem (or as close as they can get it).
    He has been informed that their goal would be to increase Victor's kidney function from 25% to 50% .... as he is 68 years young - that will last him his lifetime.  Just think within one hour of placing stem cells he hopefully can gain an incredible enhancement to the quality of his life - a life without the worry of dialysis, without the concern of needing to find donors and the picture just gets bigger in a positive sense.
Everlasting

Title: Re: Stem Cells - How do they do it?
Post by: Hanify on November 23, 2009, 02:01:57 PM

Fingers crossed.  How exciting!  This is the new frontier of medicine, and you're in on it.  Keep us up to date with how it goes.

Title: Re: Stem Cells - How do they do it?
Post by: kristina on November 24, 2009, 07:22:22 AM

I have read about different methods of stem-cell-treatment,
some are quick and of low cost and others require a long Hospital stay
& are expensive. I have yet to find conclusive evidence
that any method works successfully.

I knew of a girl who received stem-cell-treatment
to treat her Lupus –SLE –flare-up at  a University-Teaching-Hospital.

She was kept in total isolation for many weeks,
&  the treatment depleted her resistance to infection etc.,
but these precautions were totally ineffective
 because she contracted a virus which eventually killed her.

From this I gather that stem-cell-treatment is still in its infancy,
&  it is not a treatment readily available in major Hospitals.

Therefore, when I hear of someone who has been or is going to be treated,
I am curious to know more about it, as science seems to be moving forward very fast.

Would you be kind enough to let me know what stem-cell-treatment will Victor have,
how  long will he stay in Hospital and roughly how much does it cost?

Thank you, Kristina

Title: Re: Stem Cells - How do they do it?
Post by: Hanify on November 24, 2009, 01:09:58 PM

That's right Kristina.  The normal treatment for my type of cancer would have been stem cell replacement, but because of my kidney failure, they won't risk the stem cell treatment.  I think what Everlasting is talking about is a different sort of treatment altogether, where they are seeing if the stem cells could regenerate the still healthy part of the kidney - as opposed to the stem cell treatment where they kill every stem cell in your body and then put new ones in.  Very exciting if it works!

Title: Re: Stem Cells - How do they do it?
Post by: Zach on November 25, 2009, 08:21:46 AM

Caveat emptor.

8)

http://spacecityskeptics.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/americans-make-run-for-the-border-for-unproven-stem-cell-therapy/