10-06-2025
Gangnam Women's Hospital advances stem cell therapy for interstitial cystitis
Gangnam Women's Hospital has been developing advanced treatments for interstitial cystitis, focusing on stem cell therapy over the past two years, with positive results in symptom relief and quality of life, it said on Tuesday.
Interstitial cystitis, which affects about 2.7 percent of women according to the Journal of Urology (2014), is characterized by recurring bladder pain, pelvic discomfort and urinary urgency without infection.
Nearly 90 percent of IC patients are female, according to the Korean Continence Society (2018). The disease stems from chronic inflammation and damage to the bladder lining, though its exact cause remains unclear.
'IC is frequently misdiagnosed due to its ambiguous symptoms,' said Dr. Sung Young-mo, director of Gangnam Women's Hospital. 'Advanced diagnostic tools, such as urinary organic acid analysis, are crucial for proper treatment.'
While conventional therapies involve analgesics and intravesical injections, Sung emphasized the potential of regenerative stem cell therapy using the patient's own cells.
'After three rounds of treatment, many patients experience significant pain relief, longer sleep and reduced urinary frequency,' he noted.
The procedure involves isolating autologous stem cells from the patient's blood via the Smart M-Cell system, then injecting them into damaged bladder areas through cystoscopy.
A 2021 international study also supports the effectiveness of mesenchymal stem cells in repairing bladder tissue, highlighting their anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties.
