Business Connections 2022 - A guide to the local businesses of Southwest Florida
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2 0 2 2 adno=XNSC6755 What if the diseases that affect us as we age could be treated with our own cells, precisely and on demand? As a family doctor for over 20 years, I have witnessed intense advancements and an explosion of treatments that improve our health. Among these, stem cells appear to be the most promising. I've seen the positive results of stem cells in my own practice as well as in my research, and review of the current literature. I truly believe that the advancements in medicine will not come from a magic pill; it will come from use of our own miraculous cells, called MSC or mesenchymal stem cells. Stem cells act as our own personal repair kits. All of us produce stem cells which circulate throughout our body looking for tissues that are damaged, in order to repair those cells. Stem cells are undifferentiated, which means they can become any cell type, and they are able to divide and increase in numbers allowing for repair of organs. As we age, the number of stem cells we produce decreases, and the stem cells we do produce lose their function, usually due to genetic mutations or environmental damage. When we lack the proper number of functioning stem cells, tissue damage cannot be repaired causing diseases to increase with age. The good news is we now have the ability to extract stem cells from our own body tissues such as bone marrow or fat tissue. In addition, we can get stem cells from outside sources such as fetal umbilical cords. When you transplant the stem cells into areas of the body where damage has occurred, you can create healing. For instance, the cartilage in a joint as it wears down can be treated with an injection of stem cells. The cartilage will rebuild causing normalization of the joint, which allows for pain relief without the use of surgery. We call this regenerative medicine. Currently, stem cells show promise in healing multiple types of injuries and diseases. Stem cells are used to treat chronic lung disease such as COPD or emphysema, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, cancer and more. Recently, two patients with HIV are thought to be cured through stem cell treatment. Based on the results have seen both in my research, and in my patients, I believe regenerative medicine and the use of mesenchymal stem cell therapies will change the landscape of medicine as we know it. If you would like a consult with Dr. Maule, or have questions, you can contact her at: Coastal Family Medicine, 1500 E. Venice Ave., Venice, FL. (941) 484-1444 or email csmaule@yahoo.com 2021 2021 STEM CELLS: STEM CELLS: Our Personal Fountain of Youth! Cynthia Maule, MD 1500 East Venice Avenue Suite 204 Venice Florida 34293 941-484-1444 www.coastalfamilymd.com C nthia Ma le MD 11 YEARS IN SERVICE August 2022 Business Connections 27