Vascular: Limb Preservation

Many patients who suffer from diabetes and atherosclerosis know that irreparable damage to their blood vessels could result in amputation. Researchers at UC Davis Health System hope patients will never have to fear losing a limb as the result of advanced vascular disease again. The nationally recognized UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures is the only center on the west coast offering a clinical trial that uses a patient's own adult stem cells to grow new blood vessels and prevent amputations of the lower limbs.

The process involves the extraction of stem cells from bone marrow in the patient's own pelvis. The cells are then separated and injected into muscles in the leg in several places to promote the growth of new, healthy blood vessels. Unlike traditional surgery or angioplasty, stem cell treatment is much more minimally invasive and may offer a more permanent way to restore circulation. Which means patients can be back on their feet, more than ever before.

Find out more about state-of-the-art vascular care at UC Davis Health System.