Stem Cell Therapy for Pulmonary Hypertension In addition there is a significant reduction in the amount of nebulizers, medications and hospitalizations needed after a stem cell treatment. That means, they need less oxygen and many times patients can be taken off oxygen completely. Patients are able to take easier, deeper breaths, and they do not have to work as hard to breathe. The results we see after stem cell treatment is less air trapping, decreased need for supplemental oxygen and increased respiratory volume, as well as significant improvements in the pulmonary function tests (PFTs). In genetic conditions family donor stem cells must also be used. When we treat patients with adult stem cells, these cells will actually regenerate collagen and elastin throughout the lungs. The lungs are over inflated and the alveolus, the area where the oxygen exchange occurs, has no supporting tissue to keep them expanded. It is usually from smoking or sometimes a genetic disease (Alpha1 Anti-trypsin Deficiency). In patients that have emphysema, or COPD, the elastin and collagen in the lungs, which is the main supporting structure, has been destroyed. Then as time goes on the stem cells mature and they take on the regeneration of the lung tissue. Most treated patients tell us that on their return trip home from stem cell treatment they felt better and were able to walk further and do more things. This is mainly because stem cells are both anti-inflammatory and nutritive, so they help with inflammation as well as stimulating the existing cells in the damaged lung. Many patients that receive stem cell treatment for their lungs feel improvements right away. The Stem Cells are processed differently for each of theses diseases. The correct treatment depends on diagnosing the predominant factor. For instance, in a patient treated for COPD there may be a bit of pulmonary hypertension or pulmonary fibrosis. In some patients there may be overlap of other lung disease as well. Most patients with these lung conditions end up passing away as their lungs just continue to deteriorate. Patient’s only options are a lung transplant, medications or possibly no other option at all. Recurring infections requiring hospitalizations become frequent. Lung Disease patients eventually become very short of breath, becoming oxygen dependent with very limited functional capacity.
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