Action News 5 - Memphis, TennesseeAnimals benefiting from breakthrough stem cell therapy in Kentucky

Animals benefiting from breakthrough stem cell therapy in Kentucky

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By Jean West - bio | email

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE - WMC-TV) - In-house stem cell therapy - another medical first for Kentucky. The first in-house stem cell processing system is being used to treat animals here in Kentucky and humans could soon benefit.

The company that developed this breakthrough technology is headquarter in Nicholasville, Kentucky. And so far the results of the therapy are impressive.

This process avoids that controversial debate about using embryonic stem cells, and could add years to your dogs life.

Getting stem cells from your own fat used to require waiting weeks for the cells to be processed, until now.

Cooper, a 7-year-old Golden Retriever, had a torn ACL in both sides of his hinds - or knees.

He had fat-derived stem cell therapy at the Finchville animal clinic several weeks ago. Fat was removed from his side, and his own stem cells extracted from the fat. Then his own stem cells were injected into the damaged area to grow new tissue.

That's not new - what is new is the process that is used to extract the stem cells. A new high tech kit, that is used to process the cells on site, without having to send the tissue off to a lab for processing.

In fact, sending the tissue off to a lab and waiting weeks for the stem cells to be ready to be injected back into the body can result in the loss of up to 40% or more of the precious cells, compromising the result.

This technique saves more cells, is more affordable, and is showing an amazing outcome.

The Adipose Stem Cell Processing kit is made by a company whose national headquarters is in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Jeremy Delk is the managing director of Medivet.

"What we've done is developed the world's first in house stem cell procedure kit - it allows veterinarians to do this procedure in house on the same day," said Delk.

The process is working so well in dogs, that vets are now using it in horses.

And in the near future, medical doctors could use it to treat humans.

Dr. Cathy White, the veterinarian at the Finchville Animal Clinic says she is pleased with how well the therapy is working on the first dog to undergo the procedure, and says it won't be long before the process is used in human therapy.

"What a wonderful thing to be able to know that in a few years, it's gonna be humans in a few years. Now people getting knee replacements, getting hip replacements, this is going to be the modality of the future. There's no questions about it.", says White.

Though this procedure is less expensive than the conventional stem cell therapy, where tissue is sent off to be processed, it's still pricey. It's $1,800 - compared to several thousand. But for a young dog who has many years left, owners say it's worth every cent.

If you have any questions visit the clinic's website at www.finchvilleanimalhospital.com.

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