27 March 2010

[Watch the video below from KABC-TV)

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KABC). 

When doctors perform cancer surgery, they often remove so much tissue that it leaves serious indentations – altering a person’s appearance.

If you saw Hersel Mikelian’s face now, you’d never know he used to have a gaping hole on the right side of his face. “I was very sad.  I was very angry that the doctors previously,  they did a surgery even though it was the right thing to do,” said Mikelian.

He had a salivary gland cancer that required the removal of part of his jaw. “I had a tremendous amount of pain in my jaw area because of the nerves, they were basically exposed,” said Mikelian.

“I looked for a reconstruction surgeon and most doctors did not want to touch me.” 

That is until he met cosmetic surgeon Dr. Nathan Newman. He pioneered a new treatment called the Stem Cell Lift. He removes fat from the patient and harvests one of the body’s most precious resource: adult stem cells.

He then doubles and triples the concentration of stem cells before injecting. “The stem cell is what brings in the new blood vessels, rebuilds the structures, maintains the volume by replacing the fat cells that die off,” said Newman. Not only can the fat and stem cells be used for cosmetic reasons, Newman says the stem cells are so smart they can also break up scaring caused by the cancer treatment and rebuild and reconstruct surrounding tissues. “We take these fat cells that are enriched with stem cells and put them next to bone. I can actually grow bone and make that bone stronger and bigger,” said Newman. He says there’s no risk of rejection because you’re using your own fat and stem cells.

It took about two years and about 20 to 24 injections. Mikelian says nobody can even tell he ever had a dent in his jaw and the nerves and tissues appeared to have healed. “He has given me my face back. He has given me my confidence back. And he has given me my hope back,” said Mikelian.

The price of the procedure depends on how many injections a person needs. The treatment of one area could run into the thousands. Newman says almost anyone can be a candidate for a Stem Cell Lift and the only limitation is that the procedure is dependent on how much fat a patient has.

20 March 2010

[Watch the Fox 8 News video below this text]

A small research company on the North Shore is launching a ground breaking protocol that the world will be watching. For the first time ever, patients with Lou Gehrig’s disease could have a glimmer of hope.

TCA Cellular Therapy in Covington has the first Food and Drug Administration approval to begin a trial using adult stem cells to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.  Cardiologist, Dr. Gabriel Lasala is co-owner and medical director of TCA.

“This will be a center to treat ALS patients and patients with other diseases with stem cells, so this is tremendous,” said Lasala. ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, attacks the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. It has no cure.

Billy Dyle was diagnosed with the disease five years ago. He is hoping for any help to slow the progression. “It’s been over 70 years since Lou Gehrig had the disease and it’s the same today. Doctors tell you it’s a fatal disease and there’s no cure,” Dyle said. “Your mind will tell you to pick up a pen but your hand cannot move to do that – it’s being trapped inside the body. So we hope the stem cells can help bring greater movement to regain what was lost,” said Kelly Viator of the ALS Association of Louisiana and Mississippi.

Stem cells are taken from a patient’s bone marrow, multiplied in the lab for 21 days, and then are later injected into the same patient’s spinal cord.

Lasala says a patient could see the effects in six to eight weeks.