How much time does stem cell treatment for kidney disease take?

Before the visit, the questionnaire, records review and complimentary consultation with the doctor are done remotely, and after the visit, follow-up continues by phone and email. The treatment itself centers on a slow intravenous (IV) infusion of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from Wharton's jelly of the umbilical cord, usually between 100 and 200 million cells, with careful control of fluid volume. The application usually takes less than an hour. Most patients return to light activities within a day or two, while results develop gradually over weeks to months. Plans are quoted individually, and the exact schedule and price are confirmed in your written plan. Results vary between patients.

This guide explains how the time is distributed before, during and after the visit, so you can plan work, travel and family commitments.

Time needed before the visit

Most of the preparation happens remotely, so you do not need extra days in Tijuana for it:

1. Medical questionnaire: about 15 to 20 minutes online.
2. Records review: the medical team reviews your information, usually within a few business days.
3. Complimentary consultation: a phone or video call with the doctor, scheduled at a time that works for you.
4. Written plan: sent by email with the cells, route, nights, inclusions and price.
5. Scheduling: a deposit reserves your date and allows the laboratory to prepare the cells.
6. Preparation: instructions to follow during the week before treatment.

What to send for kidney disease treatment

For this treatment, the team usually asks for recent blood work, which the doctor commonly requests to include creatinine, BUN, albumin, electrolytes, glucose and HbA1c, iron, lipid panel, uric acid, urinalysis, vitamin D and a renal ultrasound, along with your nephrologist's notes. Sending complete information early speeds up the review and avoids delays on arrival.

How the visit is organized

Based on the travel information our team sends to patients, a typical visit follows this pattern:

• Arrival day: our driver meets you in the San Diego airport area in the morning and takes you to the clinic in Tijuana. You have blood tests, complete medical forms, finalize payment and have your in-person consultation with the doctor. Depending on your plan, the application takes place that day or the following morning; when it is the next morning, you rest at a nearby hotel.
• Treatment day: the application is performed in the morning, and you stay overnight at the clinic with nursing and medical monitoring.
• Discharge day: the doctor reviews how you feel, gives you written instructions and a medical report, and the driver takes you back to the San Diego airport area, usually in time for an afternoon or evening flight.

The exact schedule is confirmed in your written plan.

Traveling to Tijuana

The clinic is located in the medical tower of Torres Plaza Agua Caliente in Tijuana, about 30 minutes from the San Diego border crossings. Our driver picks you up in the San Diego airport area, crosses the border with you and takes you to the clinic and, when your plan includes it, to a nearby hotel. After discharge, the driver takes you back. Wheelchair-accessible transportation and airport assistance can be arranged in advance, and a companion is welcome. Your coordinator stays in contact throughout the visit by phone or message, so you always know pickup times and the next step.

The application itself

The procedure centers on a slow intravenous (IV) infusion of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from Wharton's jelly of the umbilical cord, usually between 100 and 200 million cells, with careful control of fluid volume. The cells are prepared in a COFEPRIS-licensed laboratory under Good Manufacturing Practice standards, with quality and safety testing before release, and delivered for your scheduled date. Including preparation, the application usually takes 30 to 60 minutes, followed by monitoring.

Preparation in the week before treatment

Continue blood pressure, diabetes and kidney-protective medications on schedule, avoid anti-inflammatory painkillers, follow your usual fluid and diet plan, and share your dialysis schedule if you are on dialysis so the visit can be planned around your sessions. Typical general instructions also include pausing anti-inflammatory painkillers, alcohol, tobacco and cannabis for about seven days before treatment, and supplements such as omega 3, turmeric and ginger for about five days before, as the doctor indicates. Blood thinners are reviewed with the doctor and never stopped without medical guidance.

Recovery time

Most patients rest on the day of treatment and the following day. Continue your fluid plan and medications, weigh yourself daily if your nephrologist recommends it, and report fever, reduced urine output, swelling or shortness of breath. Mild and temporary effects are common: soreness after local injections, or a mild fever, headache or tiredness for a day or two after an IV infusion. Contact the team for fever that is high or persistent, increasing pain or any symptom that worries you.

When results appear

Kidney values change slowly. Some patients report better energy within weeks, while lab changes, such as protein in the urine, are best evaluated at about three and six months, compared with your baseline and shared with your nephrologist. We recommend recording eGFR, creatinine, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio and how you feel before treatment and at one, three and six months to see clearly what changed.

Why the visit is short

Regenerative treatment with Wharton's jelly MSCs does not require harvesting cells from your body, such as liposuction or bone marrow aspiration, because the cells come from donated umbilical cord tissue and are prepared in advance for your date. There are no large incisions and no general anesthesia for most procedures. This is why most patients complete treatment in a short visit and recover quickly, while the biological effects of the cells continue to develop over the following weeks and months.

Time needed after the visit

Recovery time is short for most treatments, but results develop over a longer period. Our team stays in contact through follow-up calls and messages according to a calendar for your treatment, and you do not need to return to Tijuana for routine follow-up. Based on your progress, the doctor may recommend a second application months later.

A timeline at a glance

What the evidence supports

A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis in Cells found that MSCs reduced inflammation and improved kidney function in animal models and reduced protein leakage in the urine in animal and human studies. The KDIGO 2024 guideline and the NIDDK describe the standard measures that protect kidney function, which continue alongside treatment.

Planning tips

• Book flights with flexibility, arriving in the morning and leaving in the afternoon or evening of the discharge day.
• Bring your passport or passport card to return to the United States.
• Pack your medications for the whole trip plus extra days.
• Plan one or two quiet days at home after returning.
• Keep your follow-up appointments with your own doctors.

Questions patients often ask

Can I travel if I am on dialysis? Yes, in most cases, with planning around your dialysis schedule.

Will I need to stay longer because of my kidneys? Most kidney patients follow the standard schedule; the doctor may recommend extra observation if fluid balance or blood pressure needs closer monitoring.

When should I repeat my labs? At about one, three and six months after treatment, ideally with your nephrologist.

Who may be a candidate

• Adults with chronic kidney disease, stable kidney function, recent lab results and continued care with a nephrologist.
• Stable general health, with chronic conditions under control.
• No active infection and no cancer within the past five years.
• Not pregnant or breastfeeding.

Questions to ask your coordinator

• How many nights will my plan include?
• What time should I arrive in San Diego?
• Will I need a hotel night before treatment?
• When can I return to work and exercise?

Bottom line

Stem cell treatment for kidney disease at Stem Cell Mexico usually takes two to three days in Tijuana, with remote preparation before the visit and remote follow-up after it. The application takes less than an hour, recovery is short and results develop gradually, varying between patients. A medical evaluation can help determine whether this type of regenerative treatment is appropriate for your condition, goals and medical history.