| The development of new medical technologies and the capability to operate on older and more complicated patients has elongated life expectancy. Even though life expectancy is longer, the wound healing process in older patients is severely impaired. It has become more and more common nowadays to see older patients with pressure ulcers, diabetic feet, peripheral vascular disease wounds and post-operative wound infections.
The coordinator and most important cell in the wound healing process is the macrophage-a subgroup of white blood cells. Its two main functions are phagocytosis of pathogens and secretion of growth factors that encourages the granulation tissue and the wound healing process.
The isolation and activation of the macrophages has enabled us to inject these cells into the wound and encourage granulation tissue development. The blood bank isolates the macrophages from young and healthy donors.
In the clinic we treat and follow patients suffering from many kinds of wounds, such as diabetic foot, peripheral vascular disease wounds and post traumatic and operative wounds (open heart, abdominal and gynecologic surgeries).
The macrophage technology results in a shorter recovery time, prevents the need for reoperations and reduces morbidity and mortality. To date, about 1,000 patients have been treated, most of them fully recovered. The treatment and follow up is elective. |
