Stem Cell Therapy: A Promising and Prospective Approach in the Treatment of Patients With Severe Buerger’s Disease

No effective blood-flow enhancement therapies are available for patients with severe peripheral arterial disease (SPAD), thus amputation remains the only option for relief of rest pain or gangrene. Autologous bone marrow—derived stem cell therapy (ABMSCT) is an emerging modality to induce angiogenesis from endothelial progenitors. A total of 5 patients with SPAD were treated by ABMSCT using isolated CD34+ cells with characterized phenotype administered by intramuscular injections. The follow-up before and 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after ABMSCT was based on clinical (rest pain, walking distance without pain, nonhealing ulcers, ankle-brachial index [ABI]) and laboratory (angiography, duplex and laser ultrasonography, TcPO2) parameters. Significant improvement of pain and walking distance was observed in all patients. Nonhealing ulcers disappeared in 3 patients and became smaller and thinner in 1 patient. The average of ABI improved significantly on the treated limb but did not change on the contralateral limb. New collaterals were detected by angiography in 3 patients, but duplex ultrasonography detected improvement in one patient only. Laser ultrasonography showed a mild significant change, TcPO2 values improved mainly on the foot. Severe adverse events were not observed. We conclude that ABMSCT with isolated CD34+ cells is safe, effective, and results in sustained clinical benefit for patients with SPAD.