Evaluation and Approval
When a person contacts Zoa Cell through its website, by telephone, or by email,
a patient file is set up and a request is made that (s)he complete a short questionnaire
designed to evaluate if his/her medical condition will allow therapy to be safely
done.
Upon receipt of the questionnaire, Zoa Cell reviews and determines if the individual
qualifies under Zoa Cell’s criteria.
If approved, Zoa Cell
• Notifies the patient of preliminary acceptance contingent on physician
approval based on required labs
• Describes the recommended procedure
• Requests completion of Zoa Cell’s disease-specific questionnaire
• Requests patient’s medical history and pertinent lab tests be sent
*For persons with more than one treatable condition, the Zoa Cell nurse recommends
which therapy should be done first.
Upon receipt of the medical records with labs, the physician multidisciplinary team
will review the patient's medical history and current condition, and determine whether
stem cell therapy will be possible, appropriate, and likely to succeed.
If approved, Zoa Cell
• Identifies individualized therapy goals
• Recommends treatment plan and advises of costs
• Selects therapy date and location
• Forwards patient’s records to the specific clinic that is to perform
the treatment
• Arranges air and ground travel and hotel accommodations for patient
and accompanying persons, including special travel or diet requirements
• Counsels patient about lifestyle changes to assure maximum benefits
• Provides information packet to patient for travel with therapy details
• Introduces patient to personal contact person available 24-7
Zoa Cell also offers optional post-therapy vacations at an additional cost
If not approved, Zoa Cell will recommend medical procedures or lifestyle changes
designed to qualify the patient for therapy.
Arrival
Upon arrival at destination airport, a Zoa Cell representative will greet and transport
patient and luggage to hotel and review schedule details. Zoa Cell will handle all
transfers between the hotel and clinic.
Upon arrival at the clinic, Admissions confirms details and obtains final labs.
Patient can meet with Physician to review medical file and to ask questions.
Treatment Procedure
a. Bone marrowZoa-Pedia: [Bone Marrow] - Bone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the hollow interior of bones. [Image] extraction
b. Isolation, analysis and concentration of the stem cells in the laboratory
c. Stem cell implantation
d. Postoperative care
Isolation, analysis and concentration of the stem cells in the laboratory
The quality and quantity of the stem cells contained in the collected bone marrow
are tested in our laboratory. After isolating the stem cells, a
chromatographicZoa-Pedia: [Chromatographic] - Chromatography is the collective term for a family of laboratory techniques for the separation of mixtures procedure
separates stem cells from the red and white blood corpuscles and plasma.
The sample is tested under sterile conditions to assure the stem cells are not contaminated.
Prior to the patient being assessed, (s)he is tested for the presence of viral markers,
including HIV, hepatitis B and C and
cytomegalovirusZoa-Pedia: [Cytomegalovirus] - Cytomegalovirus is a viral genus of the Herpesviruses group: in humans it is commonly known as HCMV [Image] .
If any test is positive, the physicians check further to determine if therapy
will still be possible if appropriate precautions are taken. The entire process
is documented and the treatment cannot proceed until all quality control criteria
have been satisfied.
Implantation Procedure
The stem cell implantation procedure depends on the patient's condition. There are
two methods of administering stem cells:
• Intravenous administration
• Administration via catheter using
angiographyZoa-Pedia: [Angiography] - Angiography is a medical imaging technique in which an X-ray image is taken to visualize the inside, or lumen, of blood vessels and organs of the body, with particular interest in the arteries, veins and the heart chambers.
Intravenous Administration
Intravenous administration is the simplest method, but is limited to patients weighing
less than 60 lbs (27.5 kgs) or with COPD patients for whom it is necessary to place
stem cells into the lung, utilizing venous circulation. One disadvantage of this
method is that the concentration of cells arriving at the target organ is relatively
low, and is why intravenous administration is generally combined with other methods.
Angiography
Angiography is the most straightforward method to facilitate direct administration
of stem cells to the target organ. A catheter is inserted into the femoral artery
under local anesthetic. A radiologist ensures that the catheter is pushed forward
precisely to the target organ - e.g. liver, heart or
pancreasZoa-Pedia: [Pancreas] - The pancreas is a gland organ in the digestive and endocrine system of vertebrates. [Image] -
where the stem cells are to be delivered.
Following the 90-minute procedure, the patient is monitored at the clinic for several
hours. Angiography is often the preferred method for patients with diabetes mellitus
because the stem cells are delivered directly into the pancreas, and for patients
who have experienced cardiac arrest or who suffer from cardiac insufficiency (weak
heart).
Postoperative Care
Following bone marrow extraction and stem cell treatment the patient will be under
medical care for 12-24 hours. Patient will receive post-therapy nutritional counseling
and as well as counseling about lifestyle changes to assure maximum benefits of
treatment.
Patient is then released to hotel for one to two days and is required to return
to the clinic for final exam and approval for travel release.
Risks of Surgery
A surgical procedure is always associated with some risks and side-effects, including
risks relating to the anesthetic, infections, complications when the wound is healing.
and temporary post-surgical pain. Bleeding can occur on rare occasions. The Zoa
Cell clinic/hospital minimizes surgical risks by using state-of-the-art medical
equipment and ensuring strict adherence to hygiene guidelines.
Post-Procedural Interaction
The majority of patients return home 24 to 36 hours after the implantation procedure.
There is a 24-hour patient hotline in case patients have any questions after they
have been discharged. The patients remain in contact with their physician or patient
consultant by telephone and e-mail in order for Zoa Cell to monitor their progress.
Regular post-procedural interaction enables the physician to monitor progress, modify
insulin dosage, and provide patients with ongoing recommendations.
If you are interested in being treated and would like to receive additional information,
please fill out the information
request form.
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