Cirrhosis

Liver is one of the most important organs in the human body, that is responsible for multiple functions:
• neutralization of toxins, entering the body from the external environment
• synthesis of proteins, fats, carbohydrates
• formation of bile
• release of toxic substances from the blood into the lumen of the intestine
• synthesis of biologically active vitally important substances (albumin, blood coagulation proteins)
• immunopoiesis
• degradation of red blood cells and heme turnover
• deposition of vitamins and minerals

Liver cirrhosis is a life-threatening disease, in which the replacement of the normal liver tissue by the connective tissue occurs. As a result, the human body is exposed to toxic substances, which are not neutralized in liver, the impairment of digestion and absorption of consumed nutrients develops, as well as the production and accumulation of the vital substances (proteins, fats, carbohydrates, hormones) is acutely decreased.
In economically developed countries liver cirrhosis is one of the six leading causes of death in the age of 35-60 years, ranging from 14 to 30 cases per 100,000 population. In the world every year about 40 million people die from viral liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, which develops on the background of the hepatitis B infection.

Normal liver

Hepatitis liver

The initial stage of liver cirrhosis

The final stage of liver cirrhosis

The most common causes of cirrhosis are alcoholism, viral hepatitis (B, C, D), a number of hereditary diseases (a1-antitrypsin deficiency, Wilson-Konovalov disease, hemochromatosis, glycogen storage disease type IV, galactosemia), the effect of certain toxins and drugs, diseases of the biliary tract, parasitic infestation. The most dangerous is alcohol-viral cirrhosis. It often transforms into liver cancer and has a very severe course.

Treatment of liver cirrhosis. Treatment of patients with liver cirrhosis is an important problem of hepatology. Until recently, such a diagnosis was treated as a death sentence, since the survival of patients after the onset of clinical symptoms of the disease made usually 10-15 years. Traditional treatment of liver cirrhosis is based on the application of drugs that protect liver cells from the damage, the treatment also includes the stimulation of bile outflow, correction of metabolic detoxification and the use of vitamins. The correction of lifestyle and diet is also very important in the treatment of liver cirrhosis, as well as the abstinence from alcohol and other bad habits. However, all these measures do not stop the progression of the disease, and only slightly improve the condition of the patient. In severe cases, patients with liver cirrhosis, if possible, should be carried out a liver transplantation.

Due to the capability of adult stem cells to transdifferentiate into the functional liver cells – hepatocytes, in the last decade, more and more patients with chronic degenerative liver diseases, particularly cirrhosis, are administered cell therapy. It is known that stem cells, when administered to a human, do not only repair damaged tissue, but may also produce biologically active substances, that stimulate the division of the own “adult” stem cells and thereby renew cell structure of the patient’s body. As a result, the treatment of liver with the use of stem cells causes significant improvement of the biochemical parameters of blood (albumin, bilirubin, ALT, AST) and the general condition of the patient.

Specialists of the Institute of Cell Therapy have a significant positive experience in the treatment of liver cirrhosis with the help of their own biotechnologies, aimed at stimulation of the natural recovery processes and prevention of autoimmune liver damage. This is achieved due to the use of the regenerative potential of stem cells and tissue therapy according to the method of Filatov.

And uptodate the specialists of the Institute of Cell Therapy together with the scientists and physicians of the Institute of Surgery and Transplantology n.a. O.O. Shalimov of NAMN of Ukraine continue research studies, directed at the increase of the efficacy of treatment of patients with liver cirrhoses, improvement of the life quality and decrease of mortality courtessy of the use of the innovative cell therapy methods.

It is important to begin stem cell therapy of liver cirrhosis at the first symptoms of the disease, because this significantly mediates the degree of liver restoration.

As an example, we present the dynamics of laboratory parameters in patient, who was treated in the Institute of Cell Therapy.

Clinical example:

Figures 1 and 2 show the results of treatment of patient X, 67 years old, suffering from liver cirrhosis, which developed after viral hepatitis.

The patient was admitted to the department of liver pathology of the medical institution in critical condition: the consciousness was confused, the patient had the pronounced jaundice of the skin and sclera, massive edema, ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Standard therapy with the application of the methods of apparatus blood purification was found to be ineffective. The patient was transferred to the Institute of Cell Therapy, where he was treated with stem cells due to the authors’ method.

As a result, in 10 days the complete remission was achieved, the patient was discharged in good condition (no ascites, no edema and jaundice). Chart 1 shows the dynamics of changes of the level of total protein and albumin in blood: after the application of stem cells and tissue therapy due to the method of Filatov, both indices achieved normal values. This means that the very important function of the liver – the synthesis of protein was recovered.

Figure 2 shows the dynamics of the level of total, direct and indirect bilirubin in blood. The accumulation of bilirubin in blood leads to the appearance of jaundice, disrupts the function of brain and kidneys. The use of stem cells and tissue therapy due to the method of Filatov resulted in the normalization of level of the total, direct and indirect bilirubin in blood.

Thus, the clinical experience of the Institute of Cell Therapy indicates that the treatment of liver cirrhosis with the use of stem cells leads to rapid functional recovery and liver regeneration.

The use of cell technologies is an an extremely promising approach to the treatment of patients with liver cirrhosis. Traditional methods of treatment in most cases are not able to restore liver tissue, affected by the pathological processes, they only improve the functional status of surviving hepatocytes. Our clinic offers you and your family to benefit from the unique properties of cell therapy and hope for recovery and a full life.

The properties of stem cells allow to use cell transplants for the regeneration of the damaged liver tissue.

Before the stem cell transplantion, the patient passes a full examination in our clinic. Such examination is necessary to determine individual dosage of the cells. Thereafter, an infusion of stem cells is carried out. Within a month after treatment, the biochemical parameters (albumin, bilirubin, ALT, AST) significantly improve and and you will also feel the improvement of the general state of your body. The effectiveness of the liver cirrhosis treatment with the use of stem cells depends on the stage of the disease and the presence of complications, but the sooner you contact our clinic, the more effective the result will be. You can ask any question regarding the treatment of liver cirrhosis with the use of stem cells, filling out a simple form on the right.