Kamp-Lintfort. New concept for patients with Crohn’s disease
The Clinic for General and Visceral Surgery at the St. Bernhard Hospital relies on a new procedure for patients with Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn’s disease often occurs in parts of the small and large intestines, where it leads to fistulas in the anal area. In some cases of this disease, a new therapy with stem cells is now being used.
“These fistulas develop in about 30 percent of patients with Crohn’s disease. They can also affect other organs, such as the bladder,” says senior physician Sebastian Bochlogyros, surgeon and proctologist at the Kamp-Lintfort hospital. As a result, those affected are often severely restricted in their quality of life.
Treatment with stem cells can be used when anti-inflammatory drug treatment or surgical treatment do not lead to long-term improvements. Gastroenterologists and surgeons work closely together in the visceral medicine center in the St. Bernhard Hospital, which has also been recognized as a competence center for “surgical coloproctology” by the German Society for General and Visceral Surgery (DGAV) for over three years. They use the new form of therapy after intensive diagnostics and strict indication.
The stem cells (Darvadstrocel) are obtained from human fat cells. Their good tolerability has been proven in several studies. As part of a surgical procedure, they are then injected under anesthesia into the tissue surrounding the fistula tract. There they promote the healing of the damaged tissue due to their non-inflammatory properties. Important aspects of this therapy are the protection of the sphincter muscle and the prevention of possible incontinence.
The Kamp-Lintfort surgeons treated the first patient with this innovative method six months ago. Since then, the fistula has healed, the patient can go about his job again without restrictions and is also active in sports again.
The effectiveness of the new stem cell therapy has been proven in several international studies. “That convinced us to offer this new therapeutic approach to our patients in special cases,” explains Sebastian Bochlogyros.
