Questions Answered About Macular Degeneration and Bone Marrow Stem Cells

Dr. Steenblock is often asked, "what causes macular degeneration?" Dr. Steenblock has been studying this disease for many years, and has come to conclusions you're not likely to find anywhere else. When Sam had his bone marrow transplant, he asked many questions. Here are Dr. Steenblock's answers:

Q- What Causes Macular Degeneration?
A- In my considered opinion, the reason you have macular degeneration at all is because of the prolonged lack of oxygen which occurs, for example when you drink. If you lay on your back when you drink one drink, it's enough to shut down the oxygen to your head area and that does damage to your eyes. Any alcohol is a poison, and stem cells are very sensitive to poisons. If you have any poisons in your body it's not a good thing. But there are other causes of prolonged lack of oxygen, like apnea (when you stop breathing) or atherosclerosis.

Q- Will a single bone marrow transplant suffice?
A- Some problems require that you have the therapy more than once. Like any therapy that may benefit you, individuals differ and your results may vary.

Q- Will a single bone marrow transplant suffice?
A- Some problems require that you have the therapy more than once. Like any therapy that may benefit you, individuals differ and your results may vary.

Q- How does taking stem cells from your leg bone marrow do any more than your own body doing the job without any intervention?
A- Stem cells in a bone marrow transplant have been moved "in mass" from the leg into your peripheral circulation. While they are in circulation they are going to be going all around your body and wherever there is any injury or damage, these stem cells are going to accumulate in those spots and start to help with the body's normal regenerative process.

Q- Is there any "rejection"?
A- This is Personalized Regenerative Therapy because we are using your own bone marrow, in your own blood, with your own platelets and all of the different fractions of blood to help regenerate your own tissues. So there is no transplant rejection because these are your own cells. You don't have to worry about infections because you're not receiving anybody else's blood.

Q- How many stem cells do I get in a bone marrow transplant?
A- In every cubic milliliter [also known as cubic centimeter] of bone marrow there are 25 million stem cells. We usually are able to take out about 120 milliliters, or for the sake of easy calculations, let's say 100 milliliters, so that means 100 x 25 or 2.5 billion stem cells would be given to you to help with the repair process.

If you or a loved one want to take advantage of this cutting edge therapy for macular degeneration and other eye disorders, call the office today and ask for more information or to make an appointment.

MACULAR DEGENERATION AND BONE MARROW STEM CELL THERAPY