Frequently Asked Questions About Diseases and Therapies

Stem cell therapy is a therapeutic approach where stem cells, either from a donor or the patient’s own, are cultivated in the laboratory and then transferred into the patient’s body. The cells are usually administered via injections, but we also use cell products that can be introduced in different ways—for example, nasal spray or inhalations.

When stem cells are introduced into a patient’s body, they circulate in the blood system until they are attracted to proteins secreted around inflamed or damaged tissue. Stem cells then rush to that injured area and start producing various growth factors, chemokines, and adhesion molecules.

Stem cells are able to enhance the survival and renewal of healthy tissue cells by activating the differentiation of local stem cells, which helps to restore lost tissue functions. Stem cells also have immunomodulatory effects and the ability to stimulate the development of neurons as well as new blood vessels.

In our clinic, we also strive to maximize the effect of stem cell treatment by introducing additional therapies, like IMR, secretome therapy, and macrophages.

First, the patient undergoes an in-depth medical checkup to ensure they are eligible for the treatment. Here, we also determine the dosages that would be both effective and safe to use.

Stem cells are obtained either from a donor or from the patient themselves. In the latter case, the patient has to come to the clinic twice: first for the cell harvesting, and then for the actual treatment after 3–4 weeks. Usually, we recommend using donor cells, as they are more active and the patient only has to come to the clinic once, but this is determined individually by the doctor.

The cells are usually administered via injections once or twice a day. Before the procedure, the medical staff shows all applicable laboratory certificates and provides an in-depth explanation about what kind of cells will be used, where they come from, and what tests have been done to ensure their sterility and safety. During the procedure, the patient’s vitals are continuously monitored by the medical staff.

Besides injections, we also use additional treatments with cell products, which can be administered in a different way: for example, secretomes can be administered via inhalations or nasal sprays.

Read this article to learn more about stem cell therapy procedure.

Depending on the specific condition, stem cell therapy usually helps relieve pain, decrease inflammation, heal the affected areas, improve motor and cognitive functions, or stop the progression of the disease.

However, the extent of improvements resulting from cell-based therapy can vary among patients due to factors such as the nature and duration of the disease, the severity of the symptoms, the number of procedures performed, and other individual factors.

If you want to know what to expect in your specific case, book an online consultation with our doctors.

In numerous instances, patients experience noticeable improvements within the initial days of stem cell treatment.

However, it is important to recognize that it takes time for the introduced stem cells to reach the affected areas and facilitate the healing process. As a result, the full therapeutic effect typically becomes apparent later, most likely within a few months after discharge.

At Swiss Medica, we use only adult multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells. This allows us to ensure safety and avoid ethical concerns. We offer the option to utilize both autologous (the patient’s own) and allogeneic (from donated tissues) stem cells. The choice between these two approaches depends on individual circumstances and medical considerations, which our medical professionals will assess to determine the most suitable course of action.

In the case of autologous stem cells, additional time is required to harvest, cultivate, and prepare the cells before therapy can commence. When using donated cells, treatment can be initiated immediately, eliminating the need for the cell harvesting procedure and associated anesthesia.

Donated cells are usually harvested from the umbilical cord or placenta. This process is consensual, ethical, non-invasive and does not harm the donor.

Depending on the patient’s diagnosis and conditions, we have several methods of administering the cells, including:

• intravenously
• intramuscularly
• inhalation
• intrathecally (in the cerebrospinal fluid)
• intraarticular
• paravertebral
• intradermal

For a full overview of the stem cell administration methods we use at Swiss Medica, please visit this page.

The dosages vary depending on the patient’s condition and weight. For adult patients, we typically administer 1–1.5 mln cells per kilogram of body weight, on average. It’s important to notice that although stem cell therapy is considered safe, an overdose can prove quite harmful: the possible consequences include vascular overload, blood clots, and retention in the lungs, which may result in respiratory failure. That is why, for safety reasons, we determine the dose for every patient individually, never exceeding the maximum safe dose.

Most likely, yes. The research on stem cells in recent years has been extensive, and it is still ongoing. We encourage you to visit our website and look at the list of the diseases we focus on: there are links to articles and corresponding scientific studies for every disease.

Although we call ourselves a stem cell therapy clinic, what we really do is provide complex treatment for each patient.

This includes:

• all necessary in-depth checkups and diagnostics, if needed;
• stem cell therapy;
• additional treatments (like IMR, physiotherapy, etc.) that help enhance the effect of SC.

All treatment programs are composed individually by our doctors and tailored to the patients’ needs.

For example, the doctor may prescribe you stem cell secretome therapy for greater therapeutic efficacy. Treatment with SVF cells will usually be prescribed for patients with autoimmune, urologic, neurologic, pulmonary, ophthalmologic, and orthopedic diseases, whereas macrophage treatment normally helps with central nervous system diseases.

Additionally, physiotherapy and intracellular metabolism recovery therapy are part of almost all our treatment programs, tailored to your condition and reinforcing the effect of stem cell therapy.

These are just several examples; all in all, we have more than 20 treatment programs in our clinic.