New Advances in Treating Ischemia and Peripheral Nerve Traumas Made at Kazan University

A new stem cell method of treating leg ischemias, peripheral nerve injuries, and other traumas of locomotion system was discovered by researchers.

All the technologies were first tested on animals. Now the project is in progress at the Republican Clinical Hospital, the patent was registered as well.

The patients who haven't been treated by any existing methods are used for the trials. No side effects have been noticed so far. Moreover, stem cell injection leads to significant improvements in the patients’ well-being.

Professor Albert Rizvanov talks about the new technology.

“Liposuction is performed on a prospective patient before the surgery. Fat tissue is useful because of its fast growth potential – which requires stem cells, of course. They are the bricks of all tissues in the human body.

They are the construction material for new cells, connective tissue, blood vessels. These properties are used in treatment. First we extract stem cells from the fat, then we used them where vessel growth is needed; for example, to treat ischemias.

Leg ischemias are usually caused by atherosclerosis or diabetes – blood circulation is impeded, and trophic ulcers start to proliferate. Often this ends in amputations”.

Stem cells are also used on peripheral nerve injuries.

The technology is especially useful when a part of a nerve is removed. A nerve from other part of the body is used in this case for substitution.

Sometimes replantations do not go very well, often because of insufficient blood supply. In this case fat stem cells are used for creating a fibrin matrix (the name of the technology in question) which significantly boosts vessel growth in new nerves.

 “Our technology works in tandem with microsurgery, - says Professor Rizvanov. – It accelerates postsurgical recovery, in particular the regeneration of tissues – sometimes this means weeks instead of months. As of now both doctors and patients are very satisfied with these new cell technologies”.