Category Archives: Stem Cell Doctors


Chicago Hospital Evaluates New Stem-Cell Therapy For Pain

CBS Chicago (con't)

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Health News & Information: CBSChicago.com/Health

(CBS) Is it the future of pain relief, the end of pain pills, physical therapy and knee or hip replacements?

CBS 2s Mary Kay Kleist looks at a new procedure offered at only a handful of places. Its still a bit controversial. But some doctors and their patients swear by it.

Linda Morning-Starpoole suffered terrible knee pain, the result of sports injuries when she was younger.

Traditional treatment might involve steroid injections, physical therapy and joint replacement. But she wanted an alternative.

The thought of me healing me with through my own stem cells is what sold me on the procedure, she says.

Heres how it works: Doctors take bone marrow from the hip and spin it in a machine to get the stem cells. Those cellsare then mixed with the patients platelets, a type of blood cell involved in healing.

The mixture is injected back into the joint, where the stem cells turn into new tissue, reduce pain and improve function.

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Chicago Hospital Evaluates New Stem-Cell Therapy For Pain

Bendable Needles Developed to Deliver Stem Cells into Brains

The flexible needles could help doctors deliver stem cells to broader areas of the brain with fewer injections. Such therapies are being investigated for Parkinson's disease, stroke and other neurodegenerative disorders

Flickr/TschiAe

As the surgical team prepared its instruments, a severed human head lay on the plastic tray, its face covered by a blue cloth. It had thawed over the past 24 hours, and a pinky-sized burr hole had been cut near the top of its skull. Scalp covered with salt-and-pepper stubble wrinkled above and below a pink strip of smooth bone.

Over the next two hours, the head would be scanned in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine as the researchers, led by Daniel Lim, a neurosurgeon and stem-cell scientist at the University of California, San Francisco, tested a flexible needle for delivering cells to the brain.

Several laboratories are investigating ways to treat neurological diseases by injecting cells into patients brains, and clinical trials are being conducted for Parkinsons disease, stroke and other neurodegenerative diseases. These studies follow experiments showing dramatic improvements in rats and mice. But as work on potentially therapeutic cells has surged ahead, necessary surgical techniques have lagged behind, says Lim.

In 2008 researchers led by Steven Goldman at the University of Rochester in New York showed that they could make severely disabled mice able to walk by injecting human glial progenitor cells into five sites in the rodents' brains.

Those results are encouraging, but a human brain is more than 1,000 times larger than a mouse brain, and delivering cells to the right places is much harder. People know how to get cells into animals but forget about the scale-up problem with humans, Lim says.

Necessary tools Working with bioengineers and neurosurgeons, Lim designed a needle that bends. First, a straight, thin tube is injected into the brain and a flexible nylon catheter pushed through it. A deflector inside the tube arcs the catheter up and away from the entry track, and an even narrower plunger ejects cells from the catheter. In one injection, the device can deposit cells anywhere within a 2-centimetre radius along the track, a volume bigger than an entire mouse brain.

Several researchers hope to use Lims device for clinical trials in brain cancer and neurodegenerative disease. Xianmin Zeng, a stem-cell scientist at the Buck Institute in Novato, California, who worked with Lim to test the device on swine, says she hopes to file an application to use the device in clinical trials for Parkinson's before the end of 2014.

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Bendable Needles Developed to Deliver Stem Cells into Brains

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Jesse Freeman, 71, had stem cells from his bone marrow injected into his heart after he had a cardiac arrest. With his wife Christine, 67

Mike Brooke, Reporter Sunday, March 2, 2014 6:00 PM

A 71-year-old man has become one of the first heart attack victims to receive pioneering stem cell surgery to see if it will help his recovery.

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On March 12, I will be 72, so the stem cell surgery for me is an early birthday present just to be alive, admits Jesse Freeman.

I was never ill in my life, then one day I was indoors and didnt feel great. I thought it was an infection that started in my jaw, then spread to my chest. I had a shower and drove down to Harold Wood walk-in centre.

I had extremely high blood pressure and they told me I had had a heart attack.

They took me to The London Chest Hospital and I was being operated on within 10 minutes.

The hospital saved my life they removed the blockage and put in a wire mesh stent to keep the artery open.

The doctors asked me while I was in recovery if I would take part in the stem cell trial.

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Stem Cell Doctor, Autologous Stem Cell Therapy, Stem Cell …

STEVEN M. GITT, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Steven M. Gitt, M.D., F.A.C.S. specializes in plastic surgery, offering the latest and most innovative techniques in: facial rejuvenation, breast augmentation, laser surgery, liposuction and body contouring and all facets of cosmetic surgery. His patients describe him as caring, compassionate, and understanding and as an excellent listener and communicator.

As the founder and medical director of North Valley Plastic Surgery, established in 1993, Dr. Gitt graduated college with distinction from UCLA in 1982 and from medical school with distinction from Wayne State University in 1986. Dr. Gitt was elected to membership in the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) national medical honor society in 1985.

Following completion of training in General Surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, and Plastic Surgery training at the renowned University of Michigan medical center, Dr. Gitt obtained certifications from the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Gitt also holds the prestigious Certificate of Advanced Education in Cosmetic Surgery. He was the founder and original medical director of the Comprehensive Wound Healing Center at Paradise Valley Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Gitt is a board certified (and re-certified)Plastic Surgeon and General Surgeon. He is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

While studying at the University of Washington in Seattle, Ryan Tsujimura graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Biology and went on to finish at the top of his class in medical school.

Dr. Tsujimura initiated his postgraduate training at the Oregon Health Sciences University (University of Oregon) in Portland, Oregon where he did his internship in General Surgery. He then moved to Phoenix where he finished his residency in General Surgery. During this time he became Chief Resident of the Burn Unit and then Chief Resident of Surgery in his last year of training.

He was given various awards during his training, but the most meaningful was the distinction made by the Chairman of Surgery/Program Director and Mentor: Ive been training surgeons for over a decade, nd youre the best surgeon Ive been fortunate enough to train.

After becoming certified by the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Tsujimura took an Attending Trauma Surgeon at Maricopa County Hospital. This gave him the opportunity to give back to the community and to teach future surgeons. During this time, he also entered practice and joined the staff of the Scottsdale Healthcare System performing general and vascular operations.

In the continued pursuit to perfect his skills, Dr. Tsujimura entered a fully accredited Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery program at the University of Tennessee. Before becoming Administrative Chief Resident, he published and lectured on various topics in Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery.

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Stem Cell Doctor, Autologous Stem Cell Therapy, Stem Cell ...

Ears and noses to be grown in lab from stem cells for human transplants thanks to revolutionary technique

Scientists have managed to use body fat and turned it into cartilage It is now hoped technique could help patients born with microtia At the moment, doctors take cartilage from other parts of the body

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 06:43 EST, 2 March 2014 | UPDATED: 06:46 EST, 2 March 2014

British scientists are aiming to grow ears and noses in a laboratory to transplant then into humans.

Scientists from Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London have managed to use abdominal body fat and turn it into cartilage.

It is now hoped that the technique could help patients who have been born with microtia, which means the ear fails to develop properly, or who have been in an accident.

Scientists from Great Ormond Street Hospital are aiming to grow ears and noses in a laboratory to transplant then into humans

At the moment, surgeons take cartilage from other parts of the body to treat children with facial defects.

The painful procedure sees them shape the nose or ear, and implant it into the child, The Telegraph reports.

The new technique would mean that doctors 'grow' the organ separately using a tiny sample of fat from the child.

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Ears and noses to be grown in lab from stem cells for human transplants thanks to revolutionary technique

'Largest ever' trial of adult stem cells in heart attack patients begins

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The largest ever trial of adult stem cell therapy in heart attack patients has begun at The London Chest Hospital in the UK.

Heart disease is the world's leading cause of death. Globally, more than 17 million people died from heart disease last year. In the US, over 1 million people suffer a heart attack each year, and about half of them die.

Heart attacks are usually caused by a clot in the coronary artery, which stops the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart. If the blockage is not treated within a few hours, then it causes the heart muscle to die.

The stem cell trial - titled "The effect of intracoronary reinfusion of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells (BM-MNC) on allcause mortality in acute myocardial infarction," or "BAMI" for short - has been made possible due to a 5.9 million ($8.1 million) award from the European Commission.

The full study involves 19 partners across France, Germany, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic and the UK.

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'Largest ever' trial of adult stem cells in heart attack patients begins

Stem Cells Being Used To Treat Knee, Joint Pain

CBS Pittsburgh (con't)

Affordable Care Act Updates: CBSPittsburgh.com/ACA

Health News & Information: CBSPittsburgh.com/Health

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) After injuries from gymnastics and dance when she was younger, Linda Morning-Starpoole was having terrible knee pain.

Sitting and standing up and getting up and moving, Linda said.

The news from her orthopedic surgeon was not encouraging.

I was sent off with a prescription, and basically said, take this, and when it gets so bad, well take out your knees. And that was really upsetting to me. It was such an ugly picture that was painted for my future, Linda said.

Traditional treatment might involve steroid injections, physical therapy, and joint replacement.

But Linda wanted an alternative. When she first heard about using stem cell injections, she was very intrigued.

The thought of me healing me with my own self is what sold me on the procedure, Linda said.

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Stem Cells Being Used To Treat Knee, Joint Pain

Stem Cell Doctors, Phoenix Stem Cell Treatment Center Network

Hover over a state and doctor for more information.

Dr. Robert Dryden has three loves: his family; the practice of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery; and the showing, breeding, and riding of Arabian horses. He lives on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona, at the base of the Rincon mountains and near the Sahuaro National Park where he loves to ride his beautiful horses with his family and friends.

PHOENIX STEM CELL TREATMENT CENTER TEAM

Steven M. Gitt, M.D., F.A.C.S. specializes in cosmetic surgery, offering the latest and most innovative techniques in: facial rejuvenation, breast augmentation, laser surgery, liposuction and body contouring and all facets of cosmetic surgery. His patients describe him as caring, compassionate, and understanding and as an excellent listener and communicator.

As the founder and medical director of North Valley Plastic Surgery, established in 1993, Dr. Gitt graduated college with distinction from UCLA in 1982 and from medical school with distinction from Wayne State University in 1986. Dr. Gitt was elected to membership in the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) national medical honor society in 1985.

Following completion of training in General Surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, and Plastic Surgery training at the renowned University of Michigan medical center, Dr. Gitt obtained certifications from the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Gitt also holds the prestigious Certificate of Advanced Education in Cosmetic Surgery. He was the founder and original medical director of the Comprehensive Wound Healing Center at Paradise Valley Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Gitt is a board certified plastic surgeon. He is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Always on the leading edge of technology, Dr. Gitt has offered endoscopic procedures such as brow and face lifting, abdominoplasty, and breast augmentation since 1994, carbon dioxide laser resurfacing since 1995, and Photoderm-Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL) since 1996. He has also accumulated extraordinary experience in Fotofacial and Fotofacial-plusT IPL treatments.

Ryan B. Tsujimura, M.D. graduated magna cum laude from the University of Washington in Seattle with a B.S. in Biology. He remained in Seattle where he graduated at the top of his class and earned his Medical Degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Dr. Tsujimura initiated his postgraduate training at the Oregon Health Sciences University (University of Oregon) in Portland, Oregon where he did his internship in General Surgery. He then moved to Phoenix where he finished his residency in General Surgery. During this time he became Chief Resident of the Burn Unit and then Chief Resident of Surgery in his last year of training.

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Stem Cell Doctors, Phoenix Stem Cell Treatment Center Network

Doctors use stem cell therapy to treat lung diseases …

Tampa, Florida --It's the third leading cause of death in the U.S.You've probably even seen ads for treating COPD, but you may not even know what it is.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a progressive lung disease likely caused by smoking, but air pollution can also be a factor. According to the American Lung Association, women are 37 percent more likely to have it than men and since there's no cure, people will do anything to breathe a little easier.

Doctors atthe Lung Institute in Tampa are using a lung patient's own stem cells to help treat COPD, emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis byrepairing damaged tissue. Like most patients seeking help, 70-year-old Daniel Odulio depends on an oxygen tank. He flew here all the way from The Philippines to improve his life.

The Lung Institute told 10 News the doctorsuse thelatest FDA-approved commercially available equipment for collecting and isolating stem cells using patients' own blood and adipose fat. They say theinnovative stem cell therapy won't be rejected because the doctors use the patients' own cells.In some cases, patients are able to get rid of their oxygen tanks altogether.

10 News

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Doctors use stem cell therapy to treat lung diseases ...

After beating cancer, Ottawa hockey player Chris Kushneriuk looks to resume his career

The last time we spoke with Chris Kushneriuk he was at the Indiana University Cancer Center awaiting stem cell treatments and chemotherapy.

It was early December, 2012, and Kushneriuk, a pro hockey player from Gloucester, had just been told by Canadian doctors he had about six months to live. Some Christmas present.

Kushneriuks supreme hockey conditioning, though it would ultimately prove a weapon, was no defence against the initial cancer, his body ravaged by what began as testicular cancer but which had spread to his liver, kidney and lymph nodes. Your basic nightmare scenario.

As he spoke by phone from Indianapolis, in the care of Lance Armstrongs cancer doctor, Lawrence Einhorn, Chris was a few weeks away from his 26th birthday, still talking positively, convinced this was a battle he could win.

Happily, 14 months later we can report that Kushneriuk is not only alive and well, hes been cleared to play hockey again and is looking to sign with an ECHL team in the near future. If we were to take out a classified ad on Chris behalf, it might read like this: Wanted, a roster spot for a player of unparalleled heart and will. Team-first type, leader, survivor. Ready to report immediately.

Small wonder that when Kushneriuk resumes his hockey career, he has a gift in mind for Dr. Einhorn.

Im definitely going to give him my next jersey, for whichever team I play, Kushneriuk says. He saved my life, he deserves a jersey.

And then Chris laughs at the tradeoff. A jersey for a life.

The journey Kushneriuk took to arrive at this point is a story of personal triumph and modern medicine, but also a tale of friendship and community hockey support that made it possible for Chris to afford the type of bold surgical treatment that defied the initial doomsday prognosis.

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After beating cancer, Ottawa hockey player Chris Kushneriuk looks to resume his career