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Stem Cell Therapy For Pelvic Floor Disorders: How Does It Work
The pelvic floor is a funnel-shaped structure that has muscles, ligaments, and nerves that support the bladder, rectum, uterus, vagina and other pelvic organs in both men and women. When the pelvic floor becomes weak or is injured, a person can experience a lack of bowel and bladder control (due to muscle or nerve damage) or pelvic organ prolapsed (bulging of uterus, bowel or bladder and dropping downward). Due to these issues, a patient can have leakage of urine, painful urination, incomplete emptying of bladder/bowel, constipation, heaviness in the vagina or rectum, muscle spasms, etc.
These disorders are common among older women, with pregnancy and childbirth being the most common causes. The other causes (including in men) are lifting heavy objects and straining, surgery or pelvic radiation, obesity, and congenitally weak tissues. Pelvic floor disorders tend to significantly affect the quality of life of patients. It is not a normal part of ageing where the muscles and bones become weak. Pelvic floor disorders must be diagnosed and treated promptly to avoid worsening. Among the conventional treatments, symptom-based management using muscle relaxants, warm baths, physical therapy, muscle strengthening exercises, and in certain cases surgery is performed for the various pelvic floor disorders. However, long-term maintenance of the outcomes remains unsatisfactory.
Regenerative medicine using stem cells has been showing promise in treating many diseases. "In my own experience, we have successfully treated nerve-related bladder dysfunction as well as weak pelvic muscles with cell and growth factor-based therapy," says Dr Pradeep Mahajan, Regenerative Medicine Researcher, StemRx Bioscience Solutions Pvt. Ltd, Navi Mumbai, who along with being a Regenerative Medicine researcher is also a General and Uro-surgeon by qualification with over 30 years experience in the field.
A Regenerative Medicine approach is holistic because it utilises the natural healing potential of the body to treat diseases. We have stem cells and growth factors among other biological molecules in our body, which work day and night to maintain our internal balance, repair tissue and cell damage due to daily wear and tear or injury, regulate the immune system, and enhance the functions of specialized cells.
"These biological molecules can be called master cells and nutrient factors for cells, which help to strengthen muscle, nerve, bone etc. as well as improve blood supply and regenerate new tissues by providing a constant pool of healthy cells. They are capable of migrating to the site of injury and can also be administered directly at sites of injury," explains Dr Mahajan.
In pelvic floor disorders, cell-based therapy has shown promising results in improving the pelvic ligament, enhancing muscle regeneration and tissue elasticity, and improving associated nerve function. "We need to consider such natural healing therapies in addition to rehabilitation to provide holistic and long-term results in pelvic floor disorders to improve the patient's quality of life," concludes Dr Mahajan.