Stem Cell
Therapy for
Liver Cirrhosis
What is Liver Cirrhosis?
Of the various diseases prevalent in India, liver cirrhosis is one of them. Cirrhosis pertains to the scarring of the liver and poor liver function as a result of chronic liver disease. Some of the causes are:
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Autoimmune inflammation of the liver.
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Long-term alcohol abuse (see alcoholic liver disease).
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Disorders of the drainage system of the liver (the biliary system).
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Hepatitis B.
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Hepatitis C.
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Medications.
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Metabolic disorders of iron and copper (hemochromatosis and Wilson's disease)
Stem Cell Therapy for Liver Cirrhosis
Stem cell therapy for liver cirrhosis aims to prevent progressive apoptosis of functional cells and stimulate replication of host cells. They are known to differentiate directly into parenchymal hepatocytes to compensate for the loss of their counterparts. The improvement can be depicted by normalization of deranged liver enzymes and sonography.
Anemia, ascites, esophageal varices, and any other condition related to liver damage may also potentially improve with improvement in liver architecture due to the infused stem cells. The end goal is to improve the quality of life of the patient. Stem cell therapy may be used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to other conventional treatments.