Post by Calaminty Jane on Sept 27, 2009 18:53:12 GMT -5
Simple Stem Cell Therapy Available to Treat Injuries in Equine
By: Robert J. Harman, D.V.M., M.P.V.M CEO and founder of Vet-Stem
Posted: Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Traumatic injuries of the tendon, ligament and joints are common in the horse. Unfortunately these injuries can often lead to scar formation, instability, and degenerative joint disease. Whether your horse is a show horse or a back yard pet, these injuries can be emotionally and financially draining. Horse owners want to know the best way to get their horse back to their previous level of activity. Traditional methods address the inflammation and pain with varying results, but have not addressed the regeneration of these tissues. Scar formation and permanent loss of full function can be a common outcome for these career ending injuries. Many owners are also concerned about the decrease in the horse's quality of life. Luckily, developments in adult stem cell research have come a long way and we now have a non-controversial option for treating our horses.
While many promising stem cell therapies are still awaiting approval for use in humans, veterinarians have been treating horses for years using their own stem cells. Vet-Stem, a San Diego based company has been helping hundreds of equine veterinarians treat common ailments such as tendon and ligament injures, and even arthritis, in equine athletes and pasture pets since 2003. Many of these equine athletes have recovered from what was once thought of as career ending injuries to perform at their previous level. Currently, this therapy is available for veterinarians to treat osteoarthritis, tendon and ligament injuries and fractures.
Many of the complications we relate so often to stem cells are not applicable with this type of adult fat stem cells. Using the horse's own cells eliminates the problems associated with cell rejection and the ethical debate related to embryonic stem cells. The injected stem cells congregate at sites of injury and work directly and indirectly to promote repair and regeneration. These cells can directly promote healing by maturing into the needed cartilage cells and promote cartilage healing, or they can function indirectly by communicating with other cells locally that may help the reparative process. Stem cells also release mediators that inhibit inflammation which may be one way they function to decrease lameness in horses with arthritis.
What sounds like a complicated advancement is a simple procedure for the animal. Using a standing stall-side procedure and sedation, a veterinarian is able to remove a small sample of fat from the horse's tail head region and send it overnight to the Vet-Stem laboratory in San Diego, California. There, the lab isolates the patient's stem and regenerative cells from the tissue sample. The cells are overnighted back to the veterinarian for injection back into the horse's injury. It is fast and minimally invasive to the horse. The quick turn around time enables the veterinarian to treat a tendon or ligament before non-elastic scar tissue forms.
In a blinded, placebo controlled clinical trial at Cornell University, no adverse reactions were noted post injection. The microscopic evaluation showed significantly improved tendon fiber architecture with a reduced number of inflammatory cells. While stem cells will not speed up the healing process, this study did show it improves the quality of the healing. The architecture of this newly remodeled tendon is crucial to enable the horse to withstand future repetitive strains and to decrease the risk of re-injury.
While this treatment is exciting and extremely promising, careful case selection is always important. Your veterinarian can help determine if your horse is a good candidate for a stem cell procedure. A good rehabilitation program for your horse is important for the best results. If the injury is acute, many equine insurance companies typically will cover the cost of treatment.
Vet-Stem also has a program where a horse's stem cells can be banked at a minimal yearly fee for future use in that horse. Essentially these cells can be used like insurance for possible future applications.
And if your horse is not the only one suffering from arthritis or tendon and ligament injuries, Vet-Stem veterinarians currently treat dogs and cats as well. For many, the treatment has extended their quality of life and many times, saved them from the alternative of a hip replacement or euthanasia.
The potential use of stem cells in areas of injury and disease processes may be limitless. Continued research is required to assess the full capabilities of this therapy. Stem cells are contraindicated in cancer and active infection.
Please visit www.Vet-Stem.com to find a veterinarian in your area certified to perform this procedure. The number of veterinarians offering this new treatment and the number of animals benefiting grows every day.
By: Robert J. Harman, D.V.M., M.P.V.M CEO and founder of Vet-Stem
Posted: Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Traumatic injuries of the tendon, ligament and joints are common in the horse. Unfortunately these injuries can often lead to scar formation, instability, and degenerative joint disease. Whether your horse is a show horse or a back yard pet, these injuries can be emotionally and financially draining. Horse owners want to know the best way to get their horse back to their previous level of activity. Traditional methods address the inflammation and pain with varying results, but have not addressed the regeneration of these tissues. Scar formation and permanent loss of full function can be a common outcome for these career ending injuries. Many owners are also concerned about the decrease in the horse's quality of life. Luckily, developments in adult stem cell research have come a long way and we now have a non-controversial option for treating our horses.
While many promising stem cell therapies are still awaiting approval for use in humans, veterinarians have been treating horses for years using their own stem cells. Vet-Stem, a San Diego based company has been helping hundreds of equine veterinarians treat common ailments such as tendon and ligament injures, and even arthritis, in equine athletes and pasture pets since 2003. Many of these equine athletes have recovered from what was once thought of as career ending injuries to perform at their previous level. Currently, this therapy is available for veterinarians to treat osteoarthritis, tendon and ligament injuries and fractures.
Many of the complications we relate so often to stem cells are not applicable with this type of adult fat stem cells. Using the horse's own cells eliminates the problems associated with cell rejection and the ethical debate related to embryonic stem cells. The injected stem cells congregate at sites of injury and work directly and indirectly to promote repair and regeneration. These cells can directly promote healing by maturing into the needed cartilage cells and promote cartilage healing, or they can function indirectly by communicating with other cells locally that may help the reparative process. Stem cells also release mediators that inhibit inflammation which may be one way they function to decrease lameness in horses with arthritis.
What sounds like a complicated advancement is a simple procedure for the animal. Using a standing stall-side procedure and sedation, a veterinarian is able to remove a small sample of fat from the horse's tail head region and send it overnight to the Vet-Stem laboratory in San Diego, California. There, the lab isolates the patient's stem and regenerative cells from the tissue sample. The cells are overnighted back to the veterinarian for injection back into the horse's injury. It is fast and minimally invasive to the horse. The quick turn around time enables the veterinarian to treat a tendon or ligament before non-elastic scar tissue forms.
In a blinded, placebo controlled clinical trial at Cornell University, no adverse reactions were noted post injection. The microscopic evaluation showed significantly improved tendon fiber architecture with a reduced number of inflammatory cells. While stem cells will not speed up the healing process, this study did show it improves the quality of the healing. The architecture of this newly remodeled tendon is crucial to enable the horse to withstand future repetitive strains and to decrease the risk of re-injury.
While this treatment is exciting and extremely promising, careful case selection is always important. Your veterinarian can help determine if your horse is a good candidate for a stem cell procedure. A good rehabilitation program for your horse is important for the best results. If the injury is acute, many equine insurance companies typically will cover the cost of treatment.
Vet-Stem also has a program where a horse's stem cells can be banked at a minimal yearly fee for future use in that horse. Essentially these cells can be used like insurance for possible future applications.
And if your horse is not the only one suffering from arthritis or tendon and ligament injuries, Vet-Stem veterinarians currently treat dogs and cats as well. For many, the treatment has extended their quality of life and many times, saved them from the alternative of a hip replacement or euthanasia.
The potential use of stem cells in areas of injury and disease processes may be limitless. Continued research is required to assess the full capabilities of this therapy. Stem cells are contraindicated in cancer and active infection.
Please visit www.Vet-Stem.com to find a veterinarian in your area certified to perform this procedure. The number of veterinarians offering this new treatment and the number of animals benefiting grows every day.