Prof. Dr. Erdal Karayoz, one of the pioneers in the application of innovative methods for stem cell treatment, will consult patients from Varna and the region free of charge on 11 July. The top specialist has accepted the invitation of Zvezdelina Lutfi, manager of the Health Information Center "Medical Karadži", to visit our country for the convenience of Bulgarian patients and in response to numerous requests for consultation from people with movement disorders, rheumatological diseases, etc.
Stem cells are part of the body's natural repair mechanism - under the right conditions, they can transform into all cell types to replace those that are damaged or dead. For this reason, modern science has high hopes for them. Therapies based on the application of stem cells have already been shown to have an effect in a number of diagnoses, and in others they are producing promising results at the experimental level.
Prof. Dr. Erdal Karayöz is the founder and for more than 10 years head of the Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center at Kocaeli University in Turkey. He currently heads the Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells at the high-tech Liv Hospital, Istanbul, where his team works on the application of cell therapies in patients with various diagnoses.
Cerebral palsy
This condition occurs in an average of 1.2-2.5 per 1,000 newborns and represents damage to the central nervous system caused during pregnancy, during birth or in the first month of the child's life. No matter what caused the condition, it involves a reduction in the number of normally functioning nerve cells in the brain. Traditional treatment methods aim to improve motor function and quality of life in patients. But they cannot increase the number of nerve cells in the brain and repair the damage.
Recent studies in several laboratories around the world, including Liv hospital, have shown that stem cell transplantation provides a good result in functional recovery in cerebral palsy. The team of prof. Karayoz reported that most of the cerebral palsy patients treated with the combined administration of mesenchymal stem cell injections and rehabilitation showed a visible improvement in motor development and coordination, improved vision, increased muscle strength, reduced spasticity, etc. However, they note that improvement is individual in each patient, depending on many factors, inclusiveness age, severity of disease, physical condition of the patient, etc.
Muscular dystrophy
Progressive muscular dystrophy progresses in different ways and at different rates, but in most patients muscle paralysis and atrophy leads to severe damage. Traditional therapies include symptomatic treatment and rehabilitation, but they do not stop the progression of the disease. In this case, stem cells can be used alongside conventional drug treatment. They are administered in the form of transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells using injections into the affected muscles and intravenously.
"This type of stem cell transplant has a visible effect without any side effects or complications, and we have found it to be extremely successful in treating progressive muscular dystrophy," commented Prof. Erdal Karaioz.
Joint and rheumatic diseases
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic disease in which the immune system attacks the joints. It manifests itself with inflammation, severe pain and stiffness, most commonly in the wrists and hands, but can also affect other parts of the body. Sometimes symptoms can last for weeks or months, seriously affecting quality of life in patients. In this case, the mesenchymal stem cells are expected to calm the inflammation and autoimmune reaction, as well as improve the condition of the damaged tissues and joints.
A similar effect can be expected in patients with epicondylitis or so-called tennis elbow. The condition is usually triggered by repeated repetitive identical actions with the arm and overuse in the elbow area. During treatment, stem cells can differentiate into specialized cells and aid in repair and regeneration in the area of muscle, tendon, cartilage and bone.
The team of prof. Karaioz is testing the application of stem cells in other diagnoses including diabetes and diabetic foot, autism, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, optic neuropathy and others.
Those wishing to take advantage of the free consultations in Varna on 11 July should make an appointment in advance at the following telephone numbers "Medical Karaj" – 0879 977 401 or 0879 977 402as well as to provide on the spot all medical documents in their possession to date.
