Updated May 10, 2017 – Pulmonary fibrosis is the thickening and scarring of the lung tissue. The term idiopathic means that the cause of the disease is unknown. Though it is not completely understood what causes idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the disease process is well-explained in various medical literature and case history.(Chambers et al. 2014)*

Treatment of IPF with Stem Cells

IPF disease usually starts with a presence of inflammation in the alveoli. The alveoli are the tiny air sacs in the lungs where the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen happens. The very thin lining of the alveoli allows this gas exchange. Once these alveoli become inflamed and damaged in some way, the body’s reaction would be to activate the immune response and to heal the damaged alveoli.(Liu et al. 2015)*

This causes scarring and thickening of the alveolar walls. Unfortunately, the thickened and scarred alveoli cannot perform efficiently during gas exchange. This ultimately leads to lesser amount of oxygen that can be transported into the body and less carbon dioxide that can be expelled out.

Primary Risk factors for IPF

the most common predisposing factors of developing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis are:

• Cigarette smoking

• Exposure to various pollutants

• Viral infections

• GERD (Gastro-esophageal reflux disease). This is when the stomach contents of a patient go back to the esophagus. There is a risk of aspiration of these stomach contents into the trachea which can in turn cause lung infection.(Ghadiri, Young, and Traini 2015)*

• Inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and crohn’s disease

Signs and symptoms for IPF

Some of the common signs and symptoms that are present in patients diagnosed with onset idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis are:

• Severe shortness of breath. This is caused by the decreased amount of oxygen that the body gets due to the inefficient, affected alveoli. This gets worse with physical activity since the body is trying to get more oxygen.

• Constant Dry cough.

• Clubbing sensations of the finger and toenails. Clubbing is the swelling in the base of the finger. This is usually accompanied by cyanosis which the bluish discoloration of the nails. This is a sign of hypoxia or decreased level of oxygen in the tissue. This sign usually manifests later on the disease progress.

• Easily being fatigued

Traditional vs Modern Treatments for IPF

There were traditionally very limited options for treating a progressive degenerative diseases such as COPD and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. No pharmaceutical medication based cures are available to treat this disease today. In some cases, steroids are prescribed to help decrease the inflammation but the effects are temporary and does nothing but mask the illness. Lung transplants are an option for some but are considered very invasive and dangerous in nature.  Lung transplants are very risky and is usually only offered in advanced stage patients. The alternative to lung transplants is non-surgical stem cell treatment for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.(Pongrakhananon et al. 2014)*

Healthy vs Diseased Lungs

Diagnosing Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

After going through a thorough physical exam and health history taking, some of the diagnostic procedures that can confirm a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis are:

• Chest X-rays or CT Scans: The doctor may see a pattern of opacities in a patient’s X-ray which can be caused by the thickened and scarred lung tissues.

• Pulmonary function test: a test done to measure the patient’s breathing capacity.

• Arterial blood test: to examine the ability of the lungs to move oxygen into the tissues of the body.

• Lung biopsy: getting a sample of lung tissue and studying the sample to identify areas of scarring and thickening.

Stop Lung Disease & Lung Failure

Your Stem cells is essentially the bodies pharmacy. Stem cells are are the building blocks of your entire body. These types of potent cells are called “totipotent” cells as they are able to change/differentiate into any type of cell,tissue or bone in the human body. The stem cell therapy for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, focused on the destroyed or limited lining of the alveoli that is at the root of the issue. (Barczyk, Schmidt, and Mattoli 2015)* For various reasons (Cigarette smoking,Viral infections,genetics) the bodies natural ability to regenerate is being blocked causing the types of complications that manifest themselves as diseases and degenerations.

Our treatment for IPF using lab enhanced stem cells seeks to re-promote natural healing of the previously damaged alveoli cell and lining. The goal of our stem cell treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is to assist the body in regenerating new healthy tissues and/or blood vessels through a process called angiogenesis. Our lung cell treatment offers effective regeneration and replacement of the lung tissue affected by fibrotic scarring and honeycombing through increased levels of myofibroblasts

TREATMENT PRECAUTION

Please Note That Stem Cell Treatments for IPF and Chronic Lung Diseases are not appropriate for all patients. Those with multiple conditions, late stage or travel restrictions due to need for constant Oxygen tanks may not qualify for the 2-3 week treatment protocol we offer. Please contact us for details.

Multi-Stage Lung Cell Delivery

Interstitial lung diseases pose a significant challenge for pulmonologists and lung bioengineering. Diseases such as asthma, Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer treatment, COPD, Cystic fibrosis, emphysema & hyaline membrane disease are just some of diseases that can be managed effectively via lung stem cell therapies. Due to the complexity and locations of the diseased regions it has always been very difficult to effectively deliver cell therapeutic agents. Fortunately, the Regeneration Center has developed a combination delivery method to target the diseases from multiple vectors (depending on the patient’s needs) including guided radiography (when necessary), Intravenous, direct injection, Intrathecally and now for the first time via Intranasal inhalation for a painless and effective delivery of endogenous lung progenitor cells, Lung epithelial stem cells to both the airway and vascular system of the lungs.

MULTI-VECTOR LUNG CELL DELIVERY

The Regeneration Center of Thailand has developed a combination delivery method to target the diseases from multiple vectors (depending on the patient’s needs) including guided radiography (when necessary), Intravenous, direct injection, Intrathecally and now for the first time via Intranasal inhalation stem cell therapy for a painless and effective delivery of endogenous lung progenitor cells, Lung epithelial stem cells to both the airway and vascular components of the lungs.

 IPF Treatment Protocol


Total of Stem Cell Infusions Required: 2-8 Infusions of Clinical Grade Enriched MSc+ Lung Cells. ( Multiple stages may be necessary for severe cases )

Method of  Cell Delivery: Due to the progressive degenerative nature of the disease, most patients will require enhanced cell transplants derived from immuno-compatible allogeneic cells.  For patients with multiple simultaneous issues or severe respiratory failure an aggressive combination treatment will be required. The isolated and expanded cells used are pre-screened for Infectious Diseases, sterility and strength. For patients with severe respiratory failure an aggressive combination treatment will be required.

Post-Treatment Lung Rehabilitation: Pulmonary Rehabilitation Services is optional but is highly recommended after any treatment. For patients with the option to stay in Thailand, we offer complete integrative rehabilitation program in partnership with Bangkok Hospital or Bumrungrad international hospital in Bangkok. Pulmonary rehabilitation is also beneficial for patients who are experiencing severe difficulty in breathing. Smoking is also greatly discouraged for patients with this condition and active smokers will not qualify for our treatment.  The rehabilitation packages in Bangkok are available to all candidates as needed (2-5 hours per day, 6 days per week)
. Medical treatment visas and hotel accommodations for long term stays can also be provided upon request.