Objective To investigate the effectiveness of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells transplantation on lower l imb chronic venous ulcer. Methods Between May 2009 and September 2010, 17 patients with lower l imb chronic venous ulcer were treated with autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells transplantation (transplantation group) and 10patients treated without cells transplantation served as control group. In the transplantation group, there were 9 males and 8 females with age of (33.3 ± 6.1) years, including 11 cases of simple great saphenous vein varicosity and 6 cases of chronic venous insufficiency; the area of ulcer was (4.39 ± 2.46) cm2; and the duration of ulcer ranged from 3 months to 6 years. In the control group, there were 4 males and 6 females with age of (39.2 ± 10.3) years, including 7 cases of simple great saphenous vein varicosity and 3 cases of chronic venous insufficiency; and the area of ulcer was (5.51 ± 2.63) cm2; and the duration of ulcer ranged from 3 months to 2 years. All patients in both groups were classified as C6 according to Cl inical Etiology Anatomy Pathophysiology (CEAP) classification. No signficant difference was found in the general data between 2 groups (P gt; 0.05). The heal ing process of ulcer was observed. The granulation tissue was harvested for HE staining before operation and at 3 days after operation in the transplantation group. The microvessel density (MVD) and vascular endothel ial growth factor (VEGF) expression of ulcer granulation tissue were observed. Results In the transplantation group, ulcer heal ing was accelerated; complete heal ing was observed in 15 cases, partial heal ing in 1 case, and no heal ing in 1 case with the median heal ing time of 22 days. However, in the control group, the heal ing process was slower; complete heal ing of ulcer was observed in 7 cases and no heal ing in 3 cases with the median heal ing time of 57.5 days. There was significant difference in the heal ing time between 2 groups (Z=0.001 4, P=0.002 7). HE staining showed a great number of microvessels in the granulation tissue in the transplantation group. The immunohistochemical staining showed that MVD was significantly increased (t=3.120, P=0.008) after cell ransplantation (32.1 ± 12.8) when compared with that before transplantation (22.1 ± 6.7). The VEGF expressionafter transplantation (8.05% ± 5.10%) was increased sl ightly when compared with that before transplantation (6.13% ±4.20%), but the difference was not significant (t=1.150, P=0.268). Conclusion Autologous bone marrow mononuclear cellstransplantation can stimulate granulation tissue growth and improve ulcer heal ing.
Objective To explore the middle-term outcome of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells transplantation in the treatment of lower l imb ischemia. Methods From March 2003 to June 2005, 65 patients with lower l imb ischemia were treated by autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells transplantation. Of the patients, there were 50 males and 15 females, with a mean age of 66.5 years (range 36-89 years), including 4 cases of simple arteriosclerotic occlusion,5 cases of thromboangiitis obl iterans and 56 cases diabetic lower l imb ischemia. A total of 400 mL bone-marrow blood were extracted from the posterior superior il iac crest. And then the mononuclear cells were isolated from the bone-marrow blood in the laboratory. The amount of transplantation bone marrow mononuclear cells was (0.60-1.80) × 109 (mean 1.05 × 109). Twelve patients received cell transplantation from two to four times and the other patients one time. According to the improvement of cl inical finding, the outcome was evaluated. Results All the patients were followed up for 8-56 months (mean 21.5 months). There were 8 deaths, and the mortal ity was 12.3%; 5 were due to myocardial infarction and heart failure and 3 were due to cerebral infarction. The general effective rate was 70.8% (46/65) and the recurrent rate was 10.7% (7/65). Of them, the response to treatment lasted over 12 months in 42 cases, accounting for 91.3% (42/46); over 24 months in 24 cases, accounting for 52.2% (24/46); and over 37 months in 12 cases, accounting for 26.1% (12/46). The effective rates were 100% in 12 patients who received 2-4 times transplantation and 64.2% in 53 patients who received 1 time transplantation, showing statistically significant difference between them (P lt; 0.001). Conclusion The middle-term outcome of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells transplantation show that it is a feasible and simple method for treatment of lower l imb ischemia.