Are you or a loved one interested in receiving stem cell treatment? For free treatment information, please fill out our treatment form or email me don@repairstemcells.org and just put TREATMENT in the subject box.

Stem Cell Research Helps Patients With Critical Limb Ischemia

A stem cell research study in South Carolina is saving legs of patients with critical limb ischemia caused by peripheral artery disease (PAD).  Cathy Ballzigler was the latest PAD patient to have her leg saved by the power of adult stem cells in a trial at Roper Hospital.   She had critical limb ischemia, a condition in which no blood was going to her leg.  Her doctor wanted to amputate. 

From the stem cells success story:

"He really wanted to take my leg off, but I would beg and plead and say don't take it off, just do what you can," said Cathy.

"He told my husband that I was about 11 weeks from dying," she said.

Cathy was losing feeling in her leg. It's called critical limb ischemia. The arteries in her leg were blocked. Surgery didn't help.  Amputation was the next step.

"I went from 17 percent oxygen to over 66 percent oxygen after my surgery," said Cathy.

The stem cell treatment costs less than conventional limb-saving procedures like bypass surgery and stents.

Stem Cell Research Video On Critical Limb Ischemia

When Will The Stem Cell Study Finish?

We previously featured this stem cell research study in an April 2009 post.  In that stem cell success story, we featured Tom Fishcher, another peripheral artery disease patient who was suffering from critical limb ischemia as well.  The stem cells saved Tom from amputation and healed his leg. 

In that post I noted that in this particular procedure:

1. the stem cell treatment is cheaper than other alternatives (angioplasty or bypass) for Peripheral Artery Disease,


2. the therapy is safer and less invasive (just simple injections using a syringe of stem cells into the legs),


3. it has no side effects because it uses your own Adult Stem Cells,


4. and is probably 60-70% more effective than any other intervention--- but it won't be available for at least 4 more years (and that is being very optimistic).

Nothing to see here says the FDA -  The FDA is not interested in patients helped using their own stem cells. 

Are you or a loved one interested in receiving stem cell treatment? For free treatment information, please fill out our treatment form or email me don@repairstemcells.org and just put TREATMENT in the subject box.

Peripheral Artery Disease Patients Save Their Legs Through Stem Cell Therapy

In a stem cell research study, 39 out of 44 patients with severe peripheral artery disease (PAD) and treated with stem cell treatment using their own Adult Stem Cells have had their legs saved from amputation.

87% Success Rate For Stem Cell Treatment

In a stem cell clinical trial, 60 peripheral artery disease patients, all of them smokers and many with Diabetes, had their own stem cells injected into their legs in an effort to save the legs from amputation. The 6 month follow up results are in for the first 44 patients and I repeat 39 had their legs saved. That is 87%. Not too shabby.

As If We Needed More Proof to Stop Smoking...

Dr. Vijayaragavan, Head of the Department of Vascular Surgery, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, is conducting the stem cell research trial. He says that the 5 peripheral artery disease patients in which the stem cell therapy did not help-- those patients didn't stop smoking even after the adult stem cells were implanted!!

From the stem cell article:

The injection of stem cells would therefore help in creating new collaterals and these would provide the vital conduit for blood flow to the parts of the leg below the block. “The stem cells injected help in angiogenesis,” said Dr. Vijayaragavan.

“We did not see any great difference in angiogenesis between the two groups [one that got stem cell injections very close to the blood vessel, and the second group that got injections close to the vessel and as well as into the main artery above the block],” he said.

Stem Cell Research- A Case Study

We first got word of this stem cell research study in February when Dr. Vijayaragavan presented early results of his study in New York at a Cardiovascular Research Foundation meeting. There, he showed a case study of a 64 year old:

“These spots were along the blocked arteries. In four weeks, his pain came down. In eight weeks, he could walk. By the 12th week, he could get back to his daily routine with no trouble,” says Dr Vijayaraghavan.

Nothing to Lose - Why Not Adult Stem Cells?

As I said back in February, this is a no brainer.  The adult stem cell treatment should be a standard therapy for any peripheral vascular disease patient who is facing amputation.  The patient has nothing to lose (the procedure consists of simple injections of the patient's own stem cells into his leg)  and everything to gain.  It is a shame that this isn't available in the United States.

Stem Cell Treatment Information

For more stem cell treatment  information, write me at donmargolis@gmail.com and just put “Treatment”  in the subject box. Or, if you want to start the process to treat a loved one now, fill out this stem cell treatment form and one of the Repair Stem Cell Institute’s staff will provide you with all the help you need -free.

Are you or a loved one interested in receiving stem cell treatment? For free treatment information, please fill out our treatment form or email me don@repairstemcells.org and just put TREATMENT in the subject box.

Stem Cell Research and Therapy for Cardiomyopathy

Adult Stem Cell research has performed another miracle and it is fitting that it is a Reverend who has been helped this time for his dilated cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure. Reverend Dan Jackson, of Colorado has reported that his ejection fraction has more than doubled after a stem cell treatment using his own Adult Stem Cells.

When Dan's dilated cardiomyopathy caused his ejection fraction to drop to 21% and into congestive heart failure, he knew he was in trouble. His son Duke took to the internet to find help.

Vescell Adult Stem Cells for Heart Disease

That was when he found Vescell Adult Stem Cells, by Theravitae. Theravitae uses the patient's own stem cells to treat heart disease and peripheral artery disease. However, money was an issue. Duke helped take care of that by having multiple fundraisers to help fund the stem cell treatment.

Dan and his wife traveled to Thailand in November for his stem cell therapy in which he had his own Adult Stem Cells injected into his heart muscle.

Before the Adult Stem Cells

• Ejection Fraction at 21%

After Vescell Stem Cell Therapy

• Ejection Fraction at 50%

Dan says in this cardiomyopathy article -“This should do my heart good for some years; it’s not just a short-term fix,” Jackson said. “My life is in God’s hands. That’s who we’re trusting for our next life. We’re thankful for what the doctors can do, but above and beyond that, God takes charge.”

“They consider this operation very successful,” he said. “I was leery about it, but I’m glad I did it. I am planning to be around here for a long time, the Lord willing. We’ve got things to do. I love my work at the prison as a chaplain. I also love spending time with my grandkids.

Second Chaplain Treated With His Own Stem Cells for Dilated Cardiomyopathy

This is hard to believe, but Dan Jackson is not the first Chaplain to come to Thailand and be helped by VesCell Stem Cell therapy for his Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Reverend Mike Rumble, from Florida, who I covered last month and in December 2008, also went to Thailand and was treated with Vescell. Mike's ejection fraction went up from 10% to 30% after having his own Adult Stem Cells injected into his heart.

Are you or a loved one interested in receiving stem cell treatment? For free treatment information, please fill out our treatment form or email me don@repairstemcells.org and just put TREATMENT in the subject box.

Victory for Adult Stem Cell Research- Saves a Man's Leg

Tom Fisher already had his  right leg amputated due to complications from Diabetes and he was in danger of losing his left leg as well.  However, stem cell research in the form of Adult Stem Cells has saved his leg from amputation and have healed all his ulcers and infections and gangrene bringing back his leg to 94% normal.

Stem Cell Therapy- Clinical Trial in Charleston, South Carolina

Fisher, 84 years old was treated at Roper Hospital in South Carolina where there is an ongoing randomized stem cell research trial for a stem-cell therapy to treat critical limb ischemia, a result of Peripheral Artery Disease.

From the stem cell news article:

"That was astounding," said Dr. Jeb Hallett, medical director at the Roper St. Francis Heart and Vascular Center. "The results have been amazing."

Of the nine area patients participating, seven still have their limbs, Hallett said.

Approximately 70-80% Success in Saving a Leg

The trial is sponsored by Harvest Technologies, a stem cell research company in Massachusetts who are also sponsoring similar studies in India and Europe.  According to Dr. Hallett, 87.5% of the Indian patients were able to keep their legs while in Europe, the results are 70% were able to keep their legs.

Without stem cell treatment, in similar cases of Peripheral Artery Disease, 80% LOSE their legs.  So, a 70-80% success rate for this Adult Stem Cell treatment is wonderful.

Stem Cell Treatment Before Pigs Fly?

What is not so wonderful is the results of the trial are not due until 2012.  Only 3-4 more years?? Are you serious?  Can't we wait longer to use our own stem cells to heal ourselves?

Medicare is very interested in this as the price of stem cell treatment is cheaper than that of an angioplasty or bypass and thus would save them millions of dollars if approved by the FDA.

So if I understand correctly:

1. the stem cell treatment is cheaper than other alternatives (angioplasty or bypass) for Peripheral Artery Disease,


2. the therapy is safer and less invasive (just simple injections using a syringe of stem cells into the legs),


3. it has no side effects because it uses your own Adult Stem Cells,


4. and is probably 60-70% more effective than any other intervention--- but it won't be available for at least 4 more years (and that is being very optimistic).

Think how many legs will be lost in that time.  Way to Go FDA- your silly rules of treating a person's own stem cells as a drug is costing lives and limbs.

Other People Helped by Adult Stem Cells for their Peripheral Artery Disease

Stem Cells for Peripheral Artery Disease

Are you or a loved one interested in receiving stem cell treatment? For free treatment information, please fill out our treatment form or email me don@repairstemcells.org and just put TREATMENT in the subject box.

Stem Cell Research for Coronary Artery Disease a Success

Dr. Douglas Losordo, the director of Northwestern University's Cardiovascular Institute is reporting that his stem cell research Phase II study of 170 heart disease (severe coronary artery disease) patients treated with using Adult Stem Cells was a success.

Adult Stem Cells Give Impressive Results

Patients receiving their own Adult Stem Cells had improved tolerance to exercise and less discomfort after their follow up at 6 months.

From the stem cell treatment article:
Dr. Losordo says "The six-month, phase II data provide the first evidence that a patient's own stem cells could actually be used as a treatment for their heart disease."

How Adult Stem Cells Work for Heart Disease

It is believed the stem cells help rebuild damaged heart tissue as well as create new blood vessels helping more blood flow through out the body.

5 more years until Stem Cell Therapy Available for Heart Patients?

The results were so promising that Dr. Losordo and Baxter, the stem cell research company that sponsored the study will move forward with a Phase III trial.

After the Phase III trial is completed, Baxter would be able to submit the results to the US FDA for approval. However, before heart disease patients start celebrating, keep in mind that this will take at least 5 more years.

And Stem Cell Research for Other Diseases?

5 more years for Adult Stem Cell treatment to be available to heart patients in the United States-- and stem cell therapy for the heart is the most advanced as far as clinical trials using Adult Stem Cells go. So for Diabetes, Emphysema, Peripheral Artery Disease and others...we are probably looking at 10+ years before Adult Stem Cell research will be put to use.

Better Late Than Never for Adult Stem Cells?

Is this the best we can hope for?  Wait for these endless clinical trials to be completed for each particular disease? Wait for the use of our own cells, something already proven safe? Or is there something we can do to speed things up? A group of US doctors for Adult Stem Cell Therapy are trying to change things. What do you think we can do?