Stem Cell Therapy For Kidney Disease

Stem cell therapy is increasingly used for impaired tissues. These cells help repair, thanks to their ability of self-renew and differentiation into a specific cell type. One of the diseases that benefit most from stem cell transplantation is kidney failure.

Stem cells improve kidney function and have the ability to repair kidney damage caused by blood vessel´s narrowing. At ProgenCell we are specialists in stem cells for kidney disease. Schedule your appointment today and learn about the benefits of this new technique.

What is kidney failure?

Kidney failure is a disease that affects the kidneys, organs responsible for eliminating waste from the body, excess fluid, acids produced by the body´s cells and maintain salts, minerals and water balance in the blood.

This disease causes the kidneys to stop working and therefore stop removing waste from the body, so in severe cases a dialysis treatment is needed to clean the blood by passing it through a membrane, filter, or a kidney transplant.

Acute kidney failure occurs suddenly after an injury, and can be treated and cured; Meanwhile, chronic renal failure (CKD) evolves over time and cannot be cured. CKD can lead to total and long-lasting insufficiency, known as end-stage renal disease (ESRD), which is the most severe form.

Symptoms

Healthy kidneys cleanse the blood and produce hormones to keep the blood and bones healthy; but, when they are injured and do not work properly, hazardous waste accumulates in the body, the body retains excess fluids, not enough red blood cells are produced and blood pressure can be raised.

In general, kidney failures symptoms begin so slowly that the patient does not notice them immediately, or confuses them with other conditions. As the kidneys function decreases, symptoms such as:

• Legs, feet and ankles swelling
• Headaches
• Tiredness during the day, insomnia at night
• Loss of taste
• Lack of appetite
• Stomach discomfort
• Feeling a churning stomach, nausea and vomiting
• Little or no urine output
• Muscle cramps, numbness or weakness
• Pain, stiffness and fluid in the joints
• Confusion, concentration and memory problems
• Itching for no apparent reason

Causes and risk factors

Kidney failure is usually the result of other health problems that affect the kidneys, such as:

• Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
• High blood pressure
• Autoimmune diseases such as lupus
• Kidney´s genetic diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease
• Nephrotic syndrome
• Urinary tract conditions, such as kidney stones
• Smoking
• Alcoholism
• Excess protein in the urine
• Excess cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood
• Drug addiction

It should be noted that these health problems do not always cause kidney failure; sometimes, this condition is due to acute kidney damage (ARD) or acute kidney failure, which evolves in a short time and is usually due to an accident.

Diagnosis

Given the patient’s symptoms, the doctor may require a general urine test, blood tests to determine the eGFR, which is the estimated glomerular filtration rate, which indicates if there is creatinine presence, waste product in the blood which indicates if the kidneys are working well. Sometimes, the specialist orders a kidney biopsy, in which some tissue is removed from the kidneys for examination under a microscope.

If kidney function decreases to less than 15% of normal, kidney failure is diagnosed.

Preventive measures

• Maintain a healthy diet to prevent diabetes and hypertension
• In case of suffering kidney failure, consume medications for pressure and glucose control
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes at least 3 days a week
• Quit smoking and avoid alcohol consumption
• Drink water every day

Treatment

There are three treatment options for kidney failure:

• Hemodialysis. A treatment to filter toxins and water from the blood, which helps balance minerals in the blood such as calcium, potassium, sodium, and control blood pressure. It can be done at home or in a specialized center.
• Peritoneal dialysis. A treatment to remove waste using a tube or catheter in the abdomen. While it can be done from home, not all patients are candidates for this treatment, nor do they have the manual dexterity to carry it out.
• Kidney transplant. Recommended to patients with advanced disease, which consists of placing a healthy kidney from a deceased or living donor to recover the damaged kidney´s functions and avoid dialysis.

In case of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), dialysis or a kidney transplant is essential to feel better and live longer. Some people decide not to undergo any of these treatments, and only focus on pain management, diet, physical activity, and lifestyle changes, but this decision should be made together with the specialist and family members.

Did you lose hope of an effective treatment that improves your quality of life? ProgenCell stem cells for kidney disease is an alternative that will surprise you. Call us today for a free consultation for stem cell therapy or fill out the case evaluation form to get started.

Stem cells encourage blood flow to increase oxygen levels and decrease inflammatory processes in kidney lesions, thereby significantly improving kidney function. These cells have the ability to repair acute kidney injuries thanks to the fact that the kidney has regeneration potential, while aiding self-regulation in chronic kidney injuries.

Although stem cells can be obtained from different sources, such as: bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, adipose tissue and even teeth, we prefer to use fresh, autologous bone marrow; as it contains many stimulating factors and growth factors. As research studies advance and more beneficial qualities for regenerating and repairing tissue are discovered, we are becoming more and more convinced of its potential for anti-aging, prevention and for treating a wide variety of degenerative conditions. That is why we want to bring the benefits of stem cells to all those patients with a medical condition, even when traditional treatments have had little or no results.

ProgenCell procedures are scientifically designed to improve the patient´s health with kidney failure through stem cells, without replacing or leaving their current treatment.