Erectile dysfunction.
Treatment with stem cells.
What is erectile dysfunction (ED)?
The World Health Organization recognizes erectile dysfunction as a health problem with the same degree of disability as rheumatoid arthritis or angina pectoris.
It is defined as a disorder characterized by the inability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse and is, after premature ejaculation, the most common sexual dysfunction disorder in men. The use of the term “erectile dysfunction” has been recommended instead of “impotence” because it defines the problem more accurately and has fewer social connotations.
Novastem has treatments to treat erectile dysfunction with positive results. For more information on how we can help you, schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.
Causes of erectile dysfunction or why does it occur?
The causes of erectile dysfunction can be either physical or psychological or a combination of both. They can be psychological, vascular, neurological, hormonal and pharmacological.
- Psychological causes: patients with depression, stress or anxiety, as well as problems in the couple.
- Vascular causes: it is very common and can be due to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking or patients who have received radiotherapy treatment.
- Neurological causes: they occur when there is an injury to the nerves involved, for example with patients who have spinal cord injuries.
- Hormonal causes: these are rare. They are due to a lack of male sex hormones.
- Pharmacological causes: there are medications that can have as a side effect a decrease in the ability to have an erection.
Symptoms of erectile dysfunction
The main symptoms are:
- Problems getting or maintaining an erection
- Less rigid erection
- Decreased size of the sexual organ or alterations in its shape
- Delay in getting an erection
- Some sexual positions are uncomfortable for him/her
- Decreased hair growth
- Reduced erections on arousal
- Ejaculates more quickly
For more information on how we can help you, schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.
Conventional Erectile Dysfunction Treatments
You may have several treatment options, depending on the cause and severity of your erectile dysfunction and pre-existing health conditions. Your doctor can explain the risks and benefits of each treatment, and you will decide which one you prefer. The main methods are:
- Use of medications such as Sildenafil (Viagra), Tadalafil (Cialis) or Vardenafil (Levitra), Apomorphine, Blemelanotide or Alprostadil.
- Hormonal treatment to increase testosterone levels
- Use of erectile enhancement devices (in case of inability to use medication)
- Surgery (usually in extreme cases)
Benefits of Using Stem Cell Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction.
Cavernous smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells play a critical role in achieving and maintaining an erection.
Transplanted stem cells have been shown to respond to the needs of surrounding cells. Stem cells can respond to the environment by differentiating into a variety of cell types and secreting cytokines, growth factors and extracellular matrix molecules that evoke specific responses from neighboring cells.
Researchers believe that stem cells transplanted into ED patients differentiate into cavernous smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells and also evoke responses from existing cells.
Stem cells are very effective in erectile dysfunction, whether caused by pathologies such as diabetes or by age (functional impotence of the vascular type), because they manage, even in patients whose prostate has been removed, to restore erections and full sexual intercourse, with a success rate of 70%. In the latter case, it is true that it depends on whether the patient is continent or not, that is, if urine “leaks” after the operation. If not, the success rate is even higher.
For more information on how we can help you, schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.
How do we do it at Novastem?
Over the years, numerous attempts have been made to discover medical and non-medical treatment options for this condition. In some cases, medical treatments have led to increased survival and improved quality of life, and options for non-medical therapeutics have emerged.
Novastem’s goal with our treatments is to reverse the lack of functionality, eliminating pain and allowing you to enjoy 100% of daily activities and life again.
At Novastem we use mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, and the application of the treatment is intravenous with a possible inhalation of cell concentrate.
The treatment of dysfunction with stem cells is a therapy that is also based on the injection of these cells at the base of the penis which is called intracavernous injection.
Novastem has the strictest acceptance protocols to treat a patient, we perform laboratory studies before each therapy.
For more information on how we can help you, schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.
References:
- Protogerou, V., Chrysikos, D., Karampelias, V., Spanidis, Y., Sara, E. B., & Troupis, T. (2021). Erectile Dysfunction Treatment Using Stem Cells: A Review. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland), 8(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines8010002
- Pakpahan, C., Ibrahim, R., William, W., Faizah, Z., Juniastuti, J., Lusida, M. I., & Oceandy, D. (2021). Stem cell therapy and diabetic erectile dysfunction: A critical review. World journal of stem cells, 13(10), 1549–1563. https://doi.org/10.4252/wjsc.v13.i10.1549
Last Reviewed on: October 31st, 2022 by a Novastem Medical Professional
For more information on how we can help you, schedule an appointment with one of our specialists
Learn more about the scientific basis of our work at Novastem here.