At a Glance
- Surgery duration: 1 to 3 hours (outpatient)
- Anesthesia: Exclusively local anesthesia (tumescent anesthesia)
- Preliminary examinations: Blood test, further examinations depending on the patient’s state of health
- Check-ups: To be arranged on an individual basis
Cardio-vascular diseases are on the rise in the Western world. Almost everyone is at risk from one factor, whether it be nicotine consumption, overweight, diabetes, insufficient physical activity and family history. Diseases of the vessels and lymphatic system (including aneurysms, sclerosis and lymphedema) often have serious effects on the patient’s quality of life.
Even if the risk of these diseases occurring can be assessed, conventional medical assistance usually involves lengthy surgeries, numerous side effects and post-operative impairment. Medicinal therapies and surgery frequently effect merely an alleviation of the symptoms of the disease.
Stem cell therapy using stem cells from the patient’s autologous fat, so-called mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), offers a highly promising approach to the treatment of heart and vessel diseases. This could spare the patient from having to go through the strains and dangers of disease and conventional therapy, for both post-operative care and as a preventive measure.
Protection and Regeneration
Stem cells from body fat have the potential to contribute to the regeneration and growth of blood vessels. In doing so, they can replace old, damaged cells or cells that have already been lost to cell death.
Although sufficient data are not available at present that make treatment with autologous stem cells from fat generally recommendable in cases of cardio-vascular diseases, the amount of encouraging signs gained in many studies is increasing. Stem cells are, however, not a universal remedy.
Years of physical work have put a heavy strain on my joints. 12 years ago I had surgery on the left knee. For 10 years I also suffered from severe pain in my right knee. Walking gave me problems. Even at rest I had knee pain and could only sleep badly. Since the treatment, my pain has dropped by about 80 percent. Now I can walk again without pain and sleep well and restfully. I am very grateful for that.
Drei Jahre lang litt ich unter Schmerzen in den Hüftgelenken. Ich konnte nur mühsam Spazieren, Wandern und Schwimmen und musste in der Arbeit sitzen. Infiltrationen brachten leider keine Linderung. Dann erfuhr ich von DDr. Heinrich und seiner Stammzelltherapie. Ich entschied mich für die Hüftbehandlung mit Stammzellen und bin heute glücklich über das Ergebnis. Die Schmerzen sind praktisch gänzlich verschwunden!
My knee problems started several years ago. I had pain especially when climbing stairs and cycling. Since medical gymnastics did not do much, I decided to receive a stem cell treatment in DDr. Heinrich’s doctor’s office. Already one week after the procedure I did not suffer from knee pain anymore and I am free of pain since then. I am now planning to cycle and hike in the mountains.
For 20 years, I suffered from knee pain and had to give up dancing and traveling. I read about the stem cell treatment in the Clinic DDr. Heinrich® in the newspaper. The doctor and his staff cared for me in a very competent and empathic way. About two weeks after the procedure, I noticed a significant improvement. On a ball I could dance without pain again and enjoy the evening on the dance floor! I am grateful for this increase in well-being.
I suffered from knee pain that was so severe I was only able to walk on crutches. The restriction in daily life and gardening put a lot of strain on me. Thanks to the stem cell treatment, I can now do without crutches most of the time and do not need pain medication any more! DDr. Heinrich and his team looked after me in a very professional way.
Previously, it was necessary to obtain autologous stem cells from bone marrow and muscle tissue in complex procedures, and to artificially reproduce them in a laboratory. In the meantime it is known that every person has rich reserves of mesenchymal stem cells in his/her fat tissue, and that reproduction of the stem cells is not required before the application.
The stem cells are gained from a small quantity of autologous fat, extracted with fine microcannulas in a minimally invasive procedure using local anesthesia. Immediately afterwards, the stem cells are introduced into the body where their regenerative effect begins to work. The patient is fully mobile after treatment and can resume normal everyday activities.
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Scientific Information
- Conrad, C., Niess, H., Huss, R., et al.: Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells acquire a lymphendothelial phenotype and enhance lymphatic regeneration in vivo. Circulation January 20, 2009; 119: 281–9. Epub December 31, 2008.
- Gao, L., Bledsoe, G., Yin, H., et al.: Tissue kallikrein-modified mesenchymal stem cells provide enhanced protection against ischemic cardiac injury after myocardial infarction. Circ J 2013; 77 (8): 2134–44. Epub May 21, 2013.
- Granel, B., Daumas, A., Jouve, E., et al.: Safety, tolerability and potential efficacy of injection of autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction in the fingers of patients with systemic sclerosis: an open-label phase I trial. Ann Rheum Dis August 11, 2014. Epub ahead of print.
- Jui, H.-Y., Lin, C.-H., Hsu, W.-T., et al.: Autologous mesenchymal stem cells prevent transplant arteriosclerosis by enhancing local expression of interleukin-10, interferon-γ, and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase. Cell Transplant 2012; 21 (5): 971–84. Epub March 22, 2012.
- Lee, J.S., Hong, J.M., Moon, G.J., et al.: A long-term follow-up study of intravenous autologous mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in patients with ischemic stroke. Stem Cells June 2010; 28 (6): 1099–106.
- Perin, E.C., Sanz-Ruiz, R., Sánchez, P.L., et al.: Adipose-derived regenerative cells in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy: The PRECISE Trial. Am Heart J July 2014; 168 (1): 88–95.e2. Epub April 5, 2014.
- Rehman, J., Traktuev, D., Li, J., et al.: Secretion of angiogenic and antiapoptotic factors by human adipose stromal cells. Circulation March 16, 2004; 109 (10): 1292–8. Epub March 1, 2004.
- Riera Del Moral, L., Aramburu, C.L., García, J.R., et al.: Experimental model for coadjuvant treatment with mesenchymal stem cells for aortic aneurysm. Am J Stem Cells 2012; 1 (3): 174–81. Epub November 30, 2012.
- Vono, R., Spinetti, G., Gubernator, M., Madeddu, P.: What’s new in regenerative medicine: split up of the mesenchymal stem cell family promises new hope for cardiovascular repair. J Cardiovasc Transl Res October 2012; 5 (5): 689–99. Epub August 11, 2012.
This page serves the purpose of information only and is not to be understood as medical advice. We would like to expressly point out that a cure cannot be guaranteed. Stem cell therapy is an advanced procedure, which has only recently been applied worldwide and for which the long-term studies and reliable documentation on successes, risks and side effects required for a recognized procedure are not yet available.
The legislation on stem cell therapies and conducting of new therapies varies from country to country worldwide. In our clinic in Austria we only carry out the treatments permitted under the applicable legal situation. For other treatments we have worldwide contacts in our cooperation network and can support the selection of specialized medical facilities abroad.