Medicine

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A Case Study: Infused Stem Cells And Lyme Nephritis

Lyme nephritis is a well-described sequella of infection by the rickettsial organism Borelia burgdorferi through the deer tick vector (genus Ixodes). Pathogenesis of this syndrome is not clearly understood. Actual organisms have not been identified histologically in affected renal tissue, so the deposition of immune complexes appears to be the cause of the resulting glomerular disease and subsequent protein-losing nephropathy. Renal tissue injury is responsible for the symptoms associated with the illness, including uremia, hyperphosphatemia, hypertension, hypoalbuminemia and weight loss. In general, the prognosis for dogs with Lyme nephritis is poor, with high mortality rates associated with renal failure that has traditionally been treated supportively with IV fluids, phosphate binders, feeding tubes, antibiotic therapy and ACE inhibitors to address the proteinuria and hypertension. The recently improved availability of adipose-derived stem cell therapy by MediVet America Inc. for inflammatory processes other than cartilage damage and tendon/ligament injuries has expanded the treatment options for many illnesses that have previously been difficult or impossible to treat by traditional means. Harvesting the adipose tissue and subjecting it to a rigorous separation, purification and concentration process results in a collection of adult stem cells that are activated and stimulated by combining with platelet-rich plasma and …