Robert W. Alexander⋆
United States of America; University of Washington (Seattle), Department of Surgery, School of Medicine & Dentistry Global Alliance of Regenerative Medicine
ABSTRACT
A coronavirus (nCoV-2) has caused a worldwide pandemic, beginning in Wuhan,China. Patient’s acquiring viral infection (COVID-19) which is often featured by ele-vation of temperature (>100.3 F◦), cough, severe fatigue, and a variety of symptomsmimicking the flu and pneumonias. This gradually may extend to a progressive andserious respiratory failure with associated ARDS-like status and severe pneumoniaswith residual scarring of the interstitial areas of the lung alveoli, resulting in acutelife-threatening, and permanent compromised gas exchange. Those that survive withcontrolled ventilation (low tidal volumes), medical induced coma, and prone position-ing, are often left with reduction in pulmonary function abilities. This paper reviewssome pertinent knowledge and advances in understanding of the pulmonary injuriesand long-term damage of the COVID-19 patients, and reports a study to amelioratesuch damage with use of cSVF for those who successfully recover.There now exists technology to perform sophisticated analytics (Functional Respira-tory Imaging, FRI) developed by Fluidda (Belgium, EU) which provides great detailand information, including the ability to help triage the infected patients early to helpassist in prediction of ventilation and ICU needs. In addition, author’s experiencewith use in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Fibrotic Lung Dis-eases, the ability to evaluate effectiveness of use of cellular Stromal Vascular Fraction(cSVF) following intravascular deployment of isolated and concentrated cSVF. Thehypothesis is that reduction of the widespread pulmonary inflammatory and immuneresponses which destroy much of the gas exchange abilities in the acute and residualdamage which appears to create a long-term problem in the surviving patient popu-lation. Fluidda imaging analytics, coupled with standard pulmonary function studies,are effective at predictive studies which may prove of great help in anticipating whichpatient group is at most risk in the earlier infections to require ICU and potentialventilation needs.Use of Stromal Vascular Fraction Cells (cSVF) are known to help mitigate damagefrom severe inflammatory disorders, provide immunomodulation, and promote repairand regenerative effects. The ease of access, simple ability to obtain significant numbersof viable cell elements, and the deployment via intravascular route has proven safe andefficacious in other forms of lung disease, including fibrotic lung disorders.This paper reviews many of the current issues facing the severely infected Post-COVID-19 patient’s lung compromise, and a therapeutic option which clearly showspromise to reverse some residual damage of the lung and gas exchange functions.
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