Autologous muscle-derived cells for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence: A 2-year follow-up of a polish investigation

Aims We evaluated the safety, feasibility and initial effects of therapy with muscle-derived cells (MDCs) for women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods MDCs were isolated from an upper-arm muscle biopsy from 16 women with SUI. Cells were isolated by enzymatic digestion and expanded in vitro for 8–10 weeks. A quantity of 0.6–25 × 106 of the obtained cells were injected transurethrally into the urethral rhabdosphincter of women under local anesthesia. The cells were placed circumferentially at the 9, 12, and 3 O'clock positions with endoscopic guidance. Results The initial results of the treatment of SUI with adult muscle-derived stem cells demonstrate the safety and feasibility of using these cells. The 2-year follow-up revealed a 75% success rate, with some patients achieving complete improvement (50%) and some patients achieving partial improvement (25%), suggesting that the prospects for this method are encouraging. Conclusions Stem cell therapy promises to become a minimally invasive method for the regeneration of the urethral rhabdosphincter muscle. Injecting a small number of cells does not preclude obtaining the desired therapeutic result. Neurourol. Urodynam. 33:324–330, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.