Here are featured articles for you to view. You can click the date and title to read the full press release.
Adult Stem Cell Research Saves Woman's Leg From Peripheral Artery Disease
Release date: 1/9/2010
A stem cell research study in South Carolina is saving legs of patients with critical limb ischemia caused by peripheral artery disease (PAD)
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:
- the stem cell treatment is cheaper than other alternatives (angioplasty or bypass) for Peripheral Artery Disease,
- the therapy is safer and less invasive (just simple injections using a syringe of stem cells into the legs),
- it has no side effects because it uses your own Adult Stem Cells,
- 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.