swiss medicaHello, young mister. Welcome here, in Swiss Medica clinic. We will just say from where you came from
-Manchester, England
Ok. What is your main problem. Why you came here?
-Main problem was knees. Osteoarthritis in both knees. No cartilage in left knee. Not much cartilage in the right knee.
What have you done in your life? For example: exercise, everyday activities…
-Lots of sports. Sports constantly.
And i have to ask you your age
-59
59. And that started when? How many years ago?
-The trouble with the knees?
Yes
-First operation 30 years ago – cartilage removed. Trimmed. And then again I’ve had two operations in each knee.
So it was something like laparoscopic operation. Go inside with a small camera and just take some cartilage away.
-Yes, trimmed the cartilage.
So, for how long did you stayed OK after that?
-Long time: Years. But the last time, two years ago, maybe three I had me knee keyhole surgery, and they said there was no cartilage left, and that the surface of the knee was totally shot. They advised that i would need a knee replacement soon.
It is called endoprosthesis so it is a complete knee surgery and…
-Yeah, that’s what they recomended.
Ok, we had some x-rays and there is high level of damaged cartilage. And, for example, what did you decided. Why did you decide not to do it in England?
-Well there’s no stem cell treatment available in England that I’m aware of. I saw a program on TV in England, they’ve just finished a five year study with stem cell treatment for knee joints and things like that and when i looked into it the study had finished, the doctor who was in charge had been on the TV explaining that in his opinion it would be available in England in the next 5 years. I can’t wait five years so i looked abroad for it and found Swiss Medica.
Ok, and why didn’t you except operation for artificial joint…?
-When i looked, when i researched it, large percentage of people weren’t happy with the results. And when i researched stem cell treatment it looked favorable. At the end of the day, if the stem cells didn’t work i can then have a new knee.
So, when you came here what was most difficult for you? What kind of problems?
-Problems walking, sometimes I’m ok, another day i can barely walk up or down the stairs. Knees swelling… just problems with knees generally.
So, you couldn’t bent it?
-Not fully. Since I’ve been at the clinic I’ve got full mobility.
In the beginning it was no movement… lack of movement…limited range of motion
-Swollen… painful. Even painful when i just sat, watching TV… it would be painful.
For how long could you, for example, walk?
-Someday i could walk maybe a mile or two miles. Another day 4-500 yards and painful.
You told me that you also had a problem with the foot because of some problems with your metabolism.
-Yeah, i got stage 3-4 kidney failure and vascular problems and irregular heart-beat and the foot was swollen and discolored. It looked bruised. And since I’ve been here, the swelling’s gone, bruising disappeared.
You had full exams, you had x-rays
-Yep.
Can you describe to us how was it, day by day?
-First days was physiotherapy. Different equipment…What the equipment was i had no idea. Transfusions, different medications into the blood. Also i had stem cell treatment to the knees, taken from my hip.
Usually it is after 3 or 4 days
-Yeah, 3 days, 4 days i had the stem cells treatment in the knees
They took stem cells from…
-From the pelvis.
From the Pelvis – from bone marrow. And after a few days they took stem cells from fat.
-Fat in the stomach, yeah.
And how do you feel now? What did you notice in the first days?
-Initially a lot better movement in the knees, due to the physiotherapy treatment i was receiving. I feel better in meself, after the stem cell treatment.
After injection of stem cells in the joints
-I could move me joints a lot more.
At one point you said thet you can finally feel your joints as yours
-Yup
So, now when you walk upstairs, downstairs…
-A lot better. Before, walking upstairs sometimes was painful, walking downstairs was nearly always painful. Now, i can walk upstairs it’s not painful, downstairs small amount of pain sometimes but not much – a big improvement.
Can you tell us, for example, what is the percentage of that improvement?
-Must be good 70-80% better.
But you know that we need time for those stem cells in your body to work. They will work in the next few months.
-Yup
So, the color of your left leg?
-Left leg is … it seems to be going back to normal. Swelling is gone.
You can bend it, move?
-Yeah, band and move knees to full extension and contraction now, and couldn’t before. That’s, i imagine, due to physio.
Stability
-Good
Balance
-Good
You can walk for how long… in the city?
-I’ve probably walked around thirty minutes. I’ve not tried to push it, but it does feel better now.
So, what did you expect and what did you get? Can you tell us? From 0-10?
-I’ve got more than i expected. I didn’t think i would be feeling this much better so soon just with the physio. I appreciate that the stem cells don’t start to work yet, so, we’ll see in time.
One part started, but during the time it will work more and more.
-Yeah, hopefully.
It needs time to work. Thank you for this conversation. We will see each other during follow up.
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Medical Advisor, Swiss Medica doctor
