Stem Cell Therapy
What is Erectile Dysfunction and Why Does It Occur?
Before moving on to stem cell therapy, I would like to briefly touch on the issues of “what is erectile dysfunction?” and “what are the causes of erectile dysfunction?”
Erectile dysfunction, known as the penis’s inability to reach the hardness required for sexual intercourse or to maintain this hardness during intercourse, can be caused by both physiological and psychological reasons. Many physical problems such as diabetes, penile curvature, hypertension, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases can affect blood flow in the penis and cause erectile dysfunction. You can find more detailed information on this subject in my “Erectile Dysfunction and Erectile Dysfunction Treatment” content.
Although not as common as premature ejaculation, the incidence of erectile dysfunction is quite high and increases with age. This situation can negatively affect the quality of life of both men and their sexual partners. This health problem, which creates emotional tension between couples and damages self-confidence, affects both sexual life and daily life, can be treated with methods that do not require surgical intervention.
Among these methods, the most up-to-date and most effective is the treatment of erectile dysfunction with SVF stem cells. Most of us have different information about stem cell therapy, so first I want to answer the question “what is stem cell therapy?”
What is SVF Stem Cell Therapy?
Stem cells are the basic building blocks of the body; they form the structure of all tissues and organs. In addition to being an independent cell type in their own right, they have the ability to transform into different cell types.
Stem cells have the capacity to transform into cells of the blood, brain, bones and all organs. These cells have the potential to repair, restore, renew and replace damaged tissues.
It can replace damaged cells in the area where it is applied, repair and renew tissues, and has become a preferred method in the treatment of many diseases. Indeed, since the 1990s, stem cell therapy has been applied in many areas of medicine.
SVF stem cell therapy, known as Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF), is an innovative treatment method based on obtaining adult type stem cells by centrifuging the person’s fat tissue and injecting the resulting stem cells into areas with damaged tissues.
How to Treat Erectile Dysfunction with SVF Stem Cells?
This treatment is applied by using the patient’s own fat tissue. Approximately 50-100 cc of fat tissue is taken from the patient’s abdomen or surrounding areas.
The fat tissue taken under local anesthesia is separated with the help of a special kit and a fluid rich in growth factors containing mesenchymal stem cells is obtained. This fluid is called SVF, or Stromal Vascular Fraction.
This fluid, derived from fatty tissue, is injected into the tube structure inside the penis. This natural method allows the repair and renewal of damaged areas inside the penis. In addition, by triggering the formation of new blood vessels and renewing the tissues, erectile dysfunction improves significantly in about 6 months after treatment. However, in some patients, this process can take up to 9-12 months.
The treatment is very comfortable and completed in a short time. While the fat tissue collection takes about 30 minutes, the preparation of the stem cell-rich SVF fluid is completed in about 10 minutes. The fact that the treatment is a single session increases the comfort of the process.
Stem Cell and SVF in Erectile Dysfunction
A personalized approach is required in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. There are different treatment options in this context. SVF stem cell therapy is a very promising and important alternative.
Unlike other treatment methods, stem cell therapy can yield statistically positive results not only in patients diagnosed with mild and moderate erectile dysfunction but also in patients diagnosed with advanced erectile dysfunction.
In the past, penile prosthesis surgery was considered the only option for patients with severe erectile dysfunction due to smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol. However, the success rate of SVF stem cell therapy is allowing us to re-evaluate this approach.
Scientific research also supports this view. Now, let’s examine what scientific studies say about the results of stem cell therapy…
Results of Stem Cell Therapy
In a study conducted on 21 men who had erectile dysfunction after radical prostatectomy due to prostate cancer and who underwent stem cell therapy because they did not respond to drug therapy, the following results were obtained:
It was shown that the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) scores of all patients increased from 6 to 12 after 6 months and from 7 to 14 after 12 months.
These values indicate advanced erectile dysfunction if the IIEF score is between 5 and 7. Values between 12 and 16 indicate mild to moderate erectile dysfunction. In this case, all 21 patients with advanced erectile dysfunction who received stem cell therapy began to experience mild to moderate erectile dysfunction after treatment.
Another study conducted in 2012 demonstrated the promotion of cavernous endothelial regeneration after SVF stem cell therapy in a patient with erectile dysfunction due to diabetes who did not respond to drug therapy.
The Future of Erectile Dysfunction Treatment with SVF Stem Cells
The scientific data obtained is quite promising. Although it cannot be said that the treatment will be 100% effective, it is stated that positive results can be obtained on erectile dysfunction and even Peyronie’s disease thanks to stem cell therapy.
SVF stem cell therapy shows its effect better when applied by expert surgeons, and accuracy in patient selection remains important.
Conclusion
Progression of erectile dysfunction and failure of other treatments could lead to patients needing surgical intervention. However, we have a non-surgical treatment option for advanced erectile dysfunction that provides largely positive results. This treatment not only relieves erectile dysfunction, but also eliminates the underlying cause of the problem. So, there is no need to despair! Lifestyle changes and SVF stem cell therapy can revive sexual life.