How is stem cell treatment for kidney disease done?

It is not a series of injections into the kidneys and does not involve surgery. The process includes a review of your kidney labs and nephrology records, a consultation with the doctor, preparation adapted to kidney health, laboratory testing and an in-person evaluation on arrival, a slow IV infusion with monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen and temperature, an observation period that often includes an overnight stay, and follow-up with repeat kidney labs over the following months. The treatment is designed as a complement to your nephrology care, never as a replacement for medications, diet or dialysis planning.

This guide explains each step, the reasons behind it and how results are monitored.

Why IV infusion is used for kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects the kidneys as a whole and is closely linked to inflammation, immune activity, scarring (fibrosis) and damage to small blood vessels. MSCs are studied for their ability to release anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and tissue-protective signals. IV infusion allows these signals to act systemically. Direct injection into the kidney is not used in our protocols, because it would add procedural risks without proven advantage in human studies.

After IV infusion, many cells are temporarily filtered by the lungs before being cleared, and their effects are thought to come largely from circulating signals and extracellular vesicles that influence the immune system and kidney tissue. A review in Frontiers in Immunology (Caplan and colleagues, 2019) explains how the route of administration changes where cells go and how they act.

Step 1: Records review

You send recent kidney-related results:

• Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and creatinine, ideally several values over time to show the trend.
• Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) or protein measurements.
• Electrolytes (potassium, sodium, bicarbonate) and hemoglobin.
• Nephrology notes, the cause of your kidney disease and a complete medication list.
• If applicable, dialysis schedule or transplant information.

These results establish a baseline and help the doctor judge whether treatment is safe and reasonable.

Step 2: Consultation with the doctor

During a complimentary phone or video consultation, the doctor explains what regenerative treatment can and cannot do for kidney disease, discusses your goals and confirms whether you may be a candidate. Goals usually focus on supporting kidney health, reducing protein in the urine and improving overall well-being, measured with objective labs.

Step 3: Written plan and kidney-adapted preparation

You receive a written plan with the cell dose, itinerary, inclusions and costs. Preparation includes:

• Pausing anti-inflammatory painkillers (which can also harm the kidneys), alcohol, tobacco and cannabis about seven days before treatment, and supplements such as omega 3, turmeric and ginger about five days before. Paracetamol is generally allowed for pain.
• Continuing blood pressure, diabetes and other essential medications unless instructed otherwise; diabetes medications are adjusted for the fasting period.
• Following any fluid restriction set by your nephrologist.
• Coordinating dialysis sessions around the treatment date if you are on dialysis.

Step 4: Arrival and evaluation

On arrival, you have blood and urine tests, including a complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel with kidney function and electrolytes, urinalysis and tumor markers, and an in-person evaluation. If electrolytes are unsafe, blood pressure is uncontrolled or there is an infection, treatment is postponed.

Step 5: The IV infusion

1. IV placement in a vein in the arm. If you have an arteriovenous fistula or graft for dialysis, that arm is protected and not used.
2. Baseline monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen and temperature.
3. Slow infusion of the cells, usually over 30 to 60 minutes, with the infusion volume kept as low as appropriate for your fluid status.
4. Ongoing monitoring during and after the infusion.

The cells are prepared by a COFEPRIS-licensed laboratory under Good Manufacturing Practice standards, with quality and safety testing before release.

Step 6: Observation

Most patients stay overnight under nursing and medical supervision. The team watches for temporary fever, changes in blood pressure, fluid balance and any other symptoms. Paracetamol and cooling measures are used if fever appears.

Step 7: Discharge and recovery

Before discharge, the doctor reviews your vital signs and how you feel and provides written instructions:

• Rest on the day of treatment and the following day.
• Expect possible mild fever, headache or fatigue for a day or two.
• Continue your prescribed medications and fluid plan.
• Avoid alcohol for at least two weeks and anti-inflammatory painkillers as instructed.

Step 8: Follow-up and lab monitoring

Repeat kidney labs, typically at about one, three and six months, track eGFR, creatinine, urine protein, electrolytes and hemoglobin. Results are compared with your baseline and shared with your nephrologist. Follow-up calls review your symptoms and progress.

A typical itinerary

While every plan is individualized, a common schedule looks like this:

• Day 1: arrival in Tijuana, transfer to the clinic, check-in, blood and urine tests, physical examination and a final review of your medications, fluid plan and dialysis schedule if applicable.
• Day 2: IV infusion of Wharton's jelly MSCs in the morning, followed by observation for the rest of the day and, in most cases, overnight.
• Day 3: medical review of vital signs, fluid balance and any symptoms, written discharge instructions and transfer for your return trip.

If you are on dialysis, the visit is planned around your sessions so that you do not miss a scheduled treatment. Some patients arrange a dialysis session locally, coordinated in advance with their nephrology team. Travelers with kidney disease should also bring an updated list of medications, recent lab results and a letter from their nephrologist describing their condition and fluid restrictions.

What the evidence says

A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis in Cells (Pura and colleagues) analyzed MSCs in CKD. In animal studies, MSCs improved kidney function and reduced inflammation. In three randomized human trials with 86 participants, as well as in animal studies, MSCs produced a significant reduction in the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, a marker linked to the risk of disease progression. Large safety analyses of IV umbilical cord MSCs, including a 2026 review in Stem Cells Translational Medicine (Hum and colleagues), found temporary fever as the main side effect, without increased infection, thrombosis, cancer or death.

How treatment fits with standard care

According to the KDIGO 2024 guideline and the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the most effective ways to slow CKD include controlling blood pressure and blood sugar, using kidney-protective medications such as ACE inhibitors, ARBs and SGLT2 inhibitors when appropriate, reducing urine protein, avoiding kidney-toxic drugs and adjusting diet. Regenerative treatment does not replace any of these, and no medication should be stopped because of it.

Regulatory context

No stem cell product is approved by the FDA or the European Medicines Agency for kidney disease. In Mexico, establishments that handle stem cells operate under sanitary licenses from COFEPRIS.

Special considerations for dialysis and transplant patients

Dialysis: people on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis need careful planning of fluid volume, potassium levels and timing. The infusion volume is kept low, and the doctor reviews your dry weight and recent electrolyte results before treatment. Evidence of benefit in people already on dialysis is very limited, so expectations should focus on safety and well-being rather than on recovering kidney function.

Kidney transplant recipients: people taking immunosuppressive medications have specific risks, including infection and possible interactions with the immune system. Research on MSCs in transplantation exists, but it is conducted within specialized trial protocols. Any consideration of cell therapy after a transplant should involve your transplant team, and in many cases the safest recommendation is not to proceed outside a clinical study.

Diabetes and high blood pressure: because these are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease, controlling glucose and blood pressure before and after treatment remains essential. Cell therapy does not replace these measures.

Who may be a candidate

• Chronic kidney disease with stable function, without rapid decline or acute kidney injury.
• Controlled blood pressure, safe electrolyte levels and manageable fluid status.
• No active infection and no cancer within the past five years.
• Continued care with a nephrologist.

Questions to ask during your evaluation

• How will my fluids, blood pressure and electrolytes be managed during the infusion?
• How will treatment be coordinated with my dialysis or nephrology care?
• Which labs will we track afterward, and when?
• What results are realistic for my stage of kidney disease?
• What documentation will I receive?

Bottom line

Stem cell treatment for kidney disease at Stem Cell Mexico is done through a monitored IV infusion of Wharton's jelly MSCs, preceded by a kidney-focused evaluation and followed by observation and repeat lab testing. Treatment complements, not replaces, nephrology care. A medical evaluation can help determine whether this type of regenerative treatment is appropriate for your kidney condition, goals and medical history.