Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell
Last Update Date: 9/6/2024 9:21:31 AM
Today, in the field of "Stem Cell", where dizzying developments have taken place to become one of the most important treatment options of modern medicine, Liv Hospital provides services in the "Liv Hospital Regenerative Medicine Stem Cell Centre" where personalised cells and stem cells can be produced for cellular therapy in international standards under hospital conditions for the first time in Turkey.
Believing in the importance of interdisciplinary co-operation in this field, which covers all branches of medicine as an institution, we aimed to provide our patients with cell-stem cell-tissue engineering products and approved treatment options in the field of gene therapies in the future within the framework of scientific and ethical rules on this path we set out with our scientists and physicians who have made significant contributions to universal science in this field in our country.
Our Mission
To make a difference in the lives of patients and their families and to provide high quality healthcare services by using approved treatment protocols and developing new treatment technologies in the field of "Cellular Therapy" using cells and stem cells.
Our Vision
Our Regenerative Medicine Stem Cell Production and Application Centre aims to improve and prolong the quality of life of individuals suffering from various diseases and injuries by translating advanced technology stem cell therapies and tissue engineering applications into clinical products with a perfectionist perspective.
Which Type of Indications Are Offered Treatment Options?
The approved clinical indications for which the Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Production and Application Centre can offer treatment options can be listed as follows;
- Cartilage degenerations
- Ischaemic tissue wounds
- Artery, vein tissue ischaemia
- Soft tissue wound treatment
- Cosmetic applications
- Reconstructive applications
- Supportive therapies requiring immunotherapy
- Surgical wound repair
- Repair of burns, injuries and scars
- Skin and degenerative tissue defect repair
- Treatment of ischaemic cardiac diseases
Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Era Begins
In recent years, the greatest advances in the field of health sciences have taken place in cell biology, molecular biology and genetics. In particular, in parallel with the scientific results of stem cell studies, there have been incredible developments in our knowledge about cells and stem cells.
Normally, we have learnt that the growth of our hair, the regeneration of our skin after a cut, and the production of millions of blood cells in our bone marrow within minutes are carried out by stem cells located in these tissues and organs. Later, we found out that these cells do not only have the power to make cells of the tissues or organs in which they are located, but that they can transform into cells of other tissues and organs when they are taken into laboratory environments.
After this stage, scientists have started to use these cells for the treatment of some diseases that cannot be fully treated today, the common feature of these diseases is that the cells in the diseased organ lose their function for some reason. They have thought of using stem cells that have the ability to transform into different cells. For this reason, most of the researches carried out in the world for the last 10-15 years have been carried out in the field of "Regenerative Medicine" (Regenerative Medicine).
Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Period in Medical Applications
Today, developments in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases continue at a dizzying pace. Despite these developments in modern medicine, there are some diseases that these latest methods cannot be effective in the definitive treatment. Today, in the field of medicine, the idea of being better in terms of human health and ensuring that the diseases that occur are cured better and in the closest way to the original is accepted.
Many treatment methods, which years ago were said to be "this much is curable" and "no better than this", have changed very rapidly in the last 20 years in a mind-boggling way. Therefore, nowadays, cellular therapies based on cell/stem cells, in other words, treatment protocols based on the regeneration of diseased cells and tissues with the person's own cells or stem cells, are gaining great importance day by day.
Radical Solution to Medical and Aesthetic Problems
Liv Hospital Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Production Centre provides solutions to medical and aesthetic problems by using regenerative cells obtained from the patient's own tissues. Liv Hospital Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Production Centre works together with all clinical branches and provides the treatment of unhealthy, dysfunctional cells and tissues using cellular treatment approaches defined by legal and scientific procedures.
Patient Health is Prioritised
Liv Hospital broke new ground in the stem cell field and opened Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Production Centre. In the Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Production Centre, all ethical rules are applied and patient health and interests are prioritised.
What is Regenerative Medicine?
Regenerative medicine is the process of creating living functional tissues for the repair or replacement of tissues or organs that have lost their function due to age, disease, damage or congenital defects.
Success in regenerative medicine can be achieved in two ways:
- By stimulating previously incurable organs or tissues so that they can heal themselves.
- When the body cannot heal itself, by transplantation of tissues or cells manipulated and developed outside the bod
This broad field encompasses many areas of research, including biomaterial engineering, growth factor transfer, transplantation science and cell therapy. For regenerative medicine, cells are living cells that are competent to create cell replacement and also to maintain the environment required for optimal organ/tissue homeostasis.
How Common is Stem Cell Therapy?
Cell therapies have become widespread in the world in recent years. However, such therapies can only be applied with cellular products produced in licensed and certified centres.
How Long Can the Stem Cells Produced Remain Viable?
The survival time of the cells varies according to the production conditions. According to the evaluation of the patient's clinical condition, the cells can be frozen and stored and cell therapy can be repeated when necessary.
What are the Age Limits of Stem Cell Therapy?
Cell therapies are evaluated according to the patient's age, disease and clinical conditions. It is necessary to evaluate all factors together.
How Long Does It Take to Produce Stem Cells?
The time of production varies according to the tissue from which the stem cells are obtained and the processing method. The process of separating stem cells from a biopsy sample taken from a tissue, culturing and reproducing them in the number required for transplantation can take up to 3-4 weeks.
What is Stem Cell?
Cells that have the potential to transform into different cell types and have the power to renew themselves are called "stem cells". Unlike muscle or nerve cells, which normally cannot reproduce themselves, stem cells can divide and multiply in large numbers. Compared to liver and kidney cells, which can only multiply for a limited number of times, stem cells can multiply for months under laboratory conditions.
Stem cells have two important features that are different from the cells of our organs such as liver, intestine and skin; firstly, these cells can divide for long periods in order to renew themselves, millions of cells can emerge from a single stem cell. However, the dividing capacity of the cells of our organs mentioned above is much more limited.
Secondly, a stem cell cannot work together with its neighbours to pump blood throughout the body as in the heart muscle, carry oxygen to the tissues like red blood cells, or transmit the necessary electro-chemical signals to tissues and organs like nerve cells. However, unspecialised stem cells can be the source of specialised cells such as heart muscle cells, blood cells or nerve cells.
Who Can Receive Stem Cell Therapy?
Patients of appropriate age and physical condition with a condition that is suitable for stem cell therapy can benefit from stem cell therapy.
Where Are Stem Cells Obtained?
Although stem cells are theoretically obtained from all body tissues and organs, the most commonly used sources for therapeutic stem cell applications today are bone marrow, umbilical cord, joint fluid or membrane and umbilical adipose tissue.
How Are Stem Cells Produced in Laboratory Environment?
Stem cells are produced in the laboratory using a biopsy sample taken from the patient's own tissue (autologous). From this biopsy sample, the relevant cells are first isolated and reproduced under appropriate conditions by continuous feeding and detailed controls.
Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Applications
1) Orthopaedics and Traumatology
Biological/ Stem Cell Therapies in Orthopaedics
- Cartilage problems
- Tendon injuries and tendinitis/tendinosis problems
- Applications in joint degenerations
- Applications in spinal problems
- Especially soft tissue problems in sports injuries
Cartilage and Degenerative Joint Diseases
Stem cell applications are making an extremely important progress in the field of orthopaedics, especially in cartilage problems. At this point, thanks to the regenerating cells obtained from the biopsy taken from the person's own tissue, cartilage formation is observed even in areas with almost zero cartilage. Thus, structural and functional regeneration becomes possible in the joint areas.
Tissue losses are very important both in our skeletal system and in our cartilages that allow our joints to move comfortably. Liv Hospital Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Production Centre can offer many treatment opportunities to replace these tissues. Especially in cartilage tissue losses, both the technique of producing cartilage from cartilage tissue and stem cell applications can be performed with the highest technology in GMP laboratories and implanted to patients.
2) Eye Diseases
In our daily life, our cells and tissues are renewed even if we are not aware of it. This renewal happens with the help of stem cells. Stem cells are necessary for the regeneration of tissues and replacement of lost cells in eye tissues as in all body tissues. This renewal, which continues in our daily life, can cause serious conditions that will affect eye health and vision in diseases that cause stem cell deficiency.
Stem cell damage occurs in diseases of genetic origin that cause stem cell deficiency in the cornea layer (transparent layer) in the eye, due to inappropriate contact lens use, radiotherapy, immunosuppressive treatments, various immunological eye diseases, chemical burns, some eye infections and severe eye allergies. Stem cell implantation is a method to be used in the treatment of these diseases.
Used in the Treatment of Eye Surface Diseases
Stem cells, which are grown and transplanted in the laboratory environment, provide corneal surface restoration and allow the restoration of visual function. Today, the transplantation of limbal cells is used in the treatment of ocular surface diseases, while studies are ongoing to use them in the treatment of congenital or age-related diseases of the retina.
Positive results are reported in animal studies. However, there are no controlled clinical trials on humans reporting successful results yet. However, it is expected that this method will be put into clinical practice in the near future.
3) Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery
In terms of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, stem cell applications can be evaluated in two main groups. The first of these is aesthetic applications. Stem cell applications have significant potential especially in the rejuvenation of the skin. Stem cell enriched fat injection applications are a more effective treatment method in removing the aged appearance of the face and hand skin.
The use of own tissues removes the patient from allergies and many similar side effects. Permanent effects cannot be achieved with fillers and similar substances. However, when compared with the person's own tissues both permanently and in quantity, it has the potential to achieve much more and more effective results.
Renews the Aging Area
The regenerator obtained from the person himself allows to renew the skin and aging areas. The process of this treatment takes place in 3 stages. Firstly, fat tissues are taken from the person by biopsy or liposuction method. The regenerating cells obtained from these tissues are refined and concentrated through various processes. Regenerating cells are injected into the appropriate areas according to the patient's needs, either alone or using natural cocktails.
Hope for Unhealed Wounds
The second application area in Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery is a group of diseases in which there are skin and subcutaneous tissue changes due to wounds that do not close, blood supply disorders or radiotherapy applications and medicine is really difficult. Stem cell applications have become a hope and last resort for these difficult clinical problems.
Regenerative cells obtained from the person himself/herself can also be used in cosmetics. These cells allow to renew the skin and aged areas.
The process of this treatment takes place in 3 stages:
a) Fat tissues are taken from the person by biopsy or liposuction method.
b) The regenerating cells obtained from these tissues are refined and concentrated through various processes.
c) Regenerating cells are injected into the appropriate areas according to the patient's needs, either alone or using natural cocktails.
Face and Body Filling (Anti-aging)
In fillers made with non-natural products such as implants, up to 70% reabsorption of the filler by the body occurs. However, with fillers made with the use of regenerating cells taken from the person's own body, this problem is minimised and a more permanent youthful appearance is achieved away from artificiality. Therefore, instead of repeated operations, one-time injections with regenerating cells are sufficient.
Treatment of Scars and Scars on the Skin
Regenerating cells obtained from the person's own body are used in the treatment of wounds and scars on the body and face, and the risk of allergic reactions afterwards is low. After the treatment, the deformed area can regain its lost natural structure.
Breast Reconstruction
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. In the process, which usually results in the removal of the patient's breast, cancerous tissue and lymph nodes under the breast, breast reconstruction is now performed using regenerating cells.
Burn Treatments
Severe burns, 3rd degree burns are one of the most challenging situations faced by plastic surgery. Liv Hospital Regenerative and Stem Cell Production and Application Centre performs regenerative cell applications to replace chronic burn tissues to ensure that the patient regains a healthy appearance.
4) Dermatology
Skin Renewal, Skin Rejuvenation
Stem cells are also used in the treatment of problems such as wrinkles, spotting and dull skin colour that occur with age. The aim of the treatment is based on the principle of repairing the tissue damaged with age and making it look younger. For this purpose, a 3mm punch biopsy is taken from the area that does not see the sun, such as behind the patient's ear, and younger fibroblasts belonging to the patient are produced in a special culture environment. Injections are made in a total of 3-4 sessions with 15-30 days intervals. The injection method is applied with the classical mesotherapy technique. No side effects of the application have been reported.
Acne Scars
Acne scars are a big problem for many women. There are few studies with autologous fibroblast injections in acne scars. Fibroblasts obtained by a similar method are applied in the form of dermal injections. Treatment can be performed in combination with applications such as laser and dermaroller.
5) Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases
Diabetic Foot Wounds
Diabetic foot wounds seen in 25 per cent of diabetic patients may result in finger or foot amputation in 8 per cent. In wound treatment, treatment of diabetic foot wound becomes possible thanks to the regenerating cells applied to the surgical site.
6) Cardiovascular Surgery
Ischaemic Limb Problems
Regenerative cells obtained from the person himself provide treatment for many diseases as well as vascular occlusions. In this disease, medication, ozone or high-pressure treatments are applied medically. In surgical intervention, amputation (cutting the area with vascular occlusion) or sympathectomy (cutting the sympathetic nerves) can be applied as a last resort. However, instead of these methods, regenerative cell applications emerge as a new and effective method to close the wound and restore circulation.
New Hopes
1) Urology
Tissue or organ loss due to chronic diseases is one of the most important areas where medicine has difficulty in treatment. In the last 10-15 years, successful results obtained in experimental animals have popularised the use of stem cells in the treatment of chronic diseases in humans. Preliminary stem cell studies in experimental animals in the field of urology raise hopes for human applications.
The most important feature that makes stem cell therapy attractive is that they can transform into the desired cells in the target tissue to which they are transferred. In addition, they can stimulate the production of certain substances that can regenerate dysfunctional cells in the tissues and organs to which they are transferred and provide repair of the tissue or organ.
First Application in Urinary Incontinence Disorders
In the field of urology, successful results have been obtained in experimental animals with the use of stem cells in diseases such as kidney diseases, urinary bladder disorders, urinary incontinence disorders, infertility, erectile dysfunction and acquired penile curvature. Among these disorders, the first application area in urological diseases in humans has been urinary incontinence disorders and very successful results have started to be obtained.
Stem cell applications in humans are expected to gain momentum in male infertility, erectile dysfunction and penile curvature. As Liv Urology Team, we are rapidly completing our preparations with Liv Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Department to realise our preliminary results, which we have obtained in experimental animal studies, especially in the field of erectile dysfunction and shared with the world literature, in humans. In a short time, we will be performing our clinical applications in parallel with those in developed countries.
2) Cardiology
Cardiovascular diseases and related heart attacks, which are among the most common diseases in the society, significantly impair the quality of life of patients. Stem cell transplantation is now used in the treatment of heart failure that develops after a heart attack. When a coronary artery is blocked, the heart cells it feeds start to measure within 20-30 minutes. If the vessel is not opened, most of the cells die within 6 hours. There is scientific evidence that stem cells from bone marrow can reverse this process.
Bone Marrow Repairs the Heart
When heart muscle cells die from a heart attack, they are not replaced. In the early 2000s, the ability of stem cells to repair diseased tissue was recognized. This opened a new era in stem cell therapy. Stem cell therapy for heart disease took the first place. The heart muscle is damaged after an infarction, leading to heart failure. Stem cell therapy is used to repair damage to the heart muscle and in severe heart failure.
In patients who have had an infarction, stem cells from the patient's bone marrow are extracted and injected into the coronary artery. This treatment can also lead to the formation of new blood vessels. Studies have shown that the damaged areas of the patients' hearts completely regress within 6 months and the heart's beating power increases.
Giving Your Own Cell
In stem cell transplantation into heart tissue, cells are not taken from relatives or outsiders, but from the person himself/herself. The person's own stem cells are obtained from a sample taken from the bone marrow. Therefore, there is no chance that the cells given will not be accepted.
How Is The Transplant Performed?
Similar to the angiography method, stem cell transplantation is performed non-surgically through a tube that is inserted through the groin vein and advanced into the heart tissue. This procedure is performed through the heart artery or vein, depending on the patient's current disease.
Bone Marrow Repairs the Heart
When heart muscle cells die from a heart attack, they are not replaced. In the early 2000s, the ability of stem cells to repair diseased tissue was recognized. This opened a new era in stem cell therapy. Stem cell therapy for heart disease took the first place. The heart muscle is damaged after an infarction, leading to heart failure. Stem cell therapy is used to repair damage to the heart muscle and in severe heart failure.
In patients who have had an infarction, stem cells from the patient's bone marrow are extracted and injected into the coronary artery. This treatment can also lead to the formation of new blood vessels. Studies have shown that the damaged areas of the patients' hearts completely regress within 6 months and the beating power of the heart increases.
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