Autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy reverses detrusor underactivity: open clinical trial

Abstract Background Detrusor underactivity is a disease that can cause chronic urinary tract infection, urinary tract infection, urinary retention and kidney failure and has no effective treatment in traditional medicine. The present research evaluated the effects of cell therapy with adipose tissue-derived stem cells on the treatment of detrusor underactivity in men. Methods Nine male patients diagnosed with a clinical and urodynamic diagnosis of detrusor underactivity were evaluated and underwent two transplants via cystourethroscopy, with 2 × 10 6 cells/transplant, performed by intravesical injection at five points on the bladder body above the vesical trigone. Results Cell therapy increased the maximum flow from 7.22 ± 1.58 to 13.56 ± 1.17, increased the mean flow from 3.44 ± 0.74 to 5.89 ± 0.45, increased the urinated volume from 183.67 ± 49.28 to 304.78 ± 40.42 and reduced the residual volume in the uroflowmetry exam from 420.00 ± 191.41 to 118.33 ± 85.51; all of these changes were significant ( p < 0.05). There were also significant increases ( p < 0.05) in maximum flow (from 7.78 ± 0.76 to 11.56 ± 1.67), maximum detrusor pressure (from 20.22 ± 8.29 to 41.56 ± 5.75), urinary volume (from 244 ± 27.6 to 418.89 ± 32.73) and bladder contractility index (from 44.33 ± 4.85 to 100.56 ± 8.89) in the pressure flow study. Scores on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire decreased from 11.44 ± 1.43 to 3.78 ± 0.78 after cell therapy, which indicates an improvement in quality of life and a return to daily activities. No complications were observed in the 6-month follow-up after cell therapy. Before treatment, all patients performed approximately five intermittent clean catheterizations daily. After cell therapy, 7/9 patients (77.78%) did not need catheterizations, and the number of catheterizations for 2/9 patients (22.28%) was reduced to two catheterizations/day. Conclusions The results indicate that stem cell therapy led to improvements in voiding function. Cell therapy with adipose tissue-derived stem cells is safe and should be considered a new therapeutic option for the treatment of detrusor underactivity. Trial registration ISRCTN, ISRCTN23909398; Registered 15 March 2021—Retrospectively registered, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN23909398