Stem cell treatment for SCI (spinal cord injury)
A teenager diving into a shallow lake, a young mother in a car accident on her way to work, a collapse of a workman´´s scaffolding, an elderly woman falling down a set of stairs - spinal cord injuries can happen to anyone at any time. Going from a daily routine to a life-changing spinal cord injury can put independent living in jeopardy and totally change the realities of daily life. The events that cause spinal cord injuries are sudden and unexpected; however, the resulting physical and lifestyle constraints and limitations remain lifelong challenges.
Chances of survival and recovery depend on the severity and location of the injury, as well as on quick medical treatment after an accident. A spinal cord injury at the neck level may impair a person´´s breathing and cause paralysis to the arms, legs and trunk (quadriplegia). Injuries lower down the spine may cause weakness and loss of movement or feeling only in the legs and lower parts of the body (paraplegia). A severed spinal cord cannot be repaired. In less severe cases, recovery depends on the extent of the damage. Prospects for recovery are good if you are able to move or feel sensation within a week of your injury.
Lack of feeling and strength in parts of the body may lead to complications such as loss of bladder and bowel control; increased risk for urinary tract infections; impotence and lack of ability to reach orgasm (see Sexual Dysfunction); skin break down and pressure sores, particularly in the buttocks; spasticity; blood clots; osteoporosis; and cardiovascular disease because of reduced physical activity.
Symptoms of spinal cord damage usually appear immediately after the injury. Symptoms can develop slowly, however, if an infection or tumor is gradually increasing pressure on the spinal cord.
The symptoms may include:
Weakness, poor coordination or paralysis, particularly below the level of the injury
Numbness, tingling, or loss of sensation
Loss of bowel or bladder control
Pain
Causes:
Nearly half of the estimated 7,800 nonfatal spinal cord injuries that occur each year are the result of motor vehicle accidents (44 percent). Other main causes include acts of violence (24 percent), falls (22 percent), and sports injuries (8 percent), primarily diving accidents.
Any trauma that pulls, compresses, pushes sideways or cuts your spinal cord may cause SCI. Penetration of a foreign object, such as bone or metal, into the spinal cord can cause serious damage, as can pressure from bleeding, swelling and fluid accumulation.
Much less commonly, spinal cord injuries are caused by blood clots, abscesses (infections), tumors, polio, spina bifida and Friedrich´´s Ataxia, a rare inherited disorder.
Stem cell treatment for Spinal Cord Injury:
We have recently developed a comprehensive program for SCI patients combining nerve stem cell activation / stimulation treatment and self stem cells injections. This combined treatment has so far proven itself to be the most effective in providing high levels of recovery.
This treatment includes a self stem cell implantation, a "cocktail" of medications and brain nutrition materials given through IV, biofeedback treatment and comprehensive rehabilitation.
By employing all of the above methods we can maximally improve functions such as sensibility, mobility, also we can manage the pain and improve bowel and bladder control.
The key to the success of this treatment method is the overall customized treatment regimen for each patient.
Self Stem Cells Activation and Proliferation:
Under a non-invasive procedure, through daily IV of an individually customized cocktail of neurotrophic medications, we are activating the patient´´s own stem cells and thus turning these cells into nerve precursor cells. These cells have signalization and migrate to lesions along the nerve developing-chord.
Self Stem Cells Injections:
1. Before injection of the stem cells, we will use medicine to ablate the glial scars.
Glial scars in a chronic injury represent a physical and molecular barrier to axonal regeneration. Before the injection of stem cells, we will use medicine to ablate the scar and create a beneficial microenvironment for the stem cells around the injury site, which is an important step into treating a chronic spinal cord injury.
2. Collection of self stem cells
First our doctors will collect potential stem cells from the bone marrow, and then they will culture and proliferate them into Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC). This is done in cooperation with Beijing University. In this procedure it takes usually up to 4 weeks to culture enough MSCs (c.a. 20,000,000). Then an experienced orthopedic surgeon implants the Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) either through the SCF (spinal cord fluid) by a lumbar puncture or through surgery under the instruction of Navigation equipment into the damaged area, depending on the medical condition of the patient. Each injection consists of around 5,000,000 stem cells. The big advantage of this treatment is that there are no immune system side effects since those stem cells are from the patient´´s own body; therefore, there is no need to use an immunosuppressant.
During the time period of culturing the cells, we will provide self stem cell activation programs, Chinese traditional medicine and Comprehensive Rehabilitation to the patient. The surgery itself is a safe procedure.
Rehabilitation:
Rehabilitation therapy is a crucial part of the entire treatment regimen.
The adult stem cell mobilization technique we use is combined with signal induction in the rehabilitation training procedure which can significantly improve brain function.
In our rehabilitation center we use different kinds of rehabilitation methods such as: Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy.
If the patient wants to get the maximum amount of improvement, it is recommended that they continue with the treatment schedule. Sometimes one cycle of stem cell treatment can only provide a primary neural connection. To establish the neural innervations of your body, persistent rehabilitation training is important, and this needs more time.
Written by Dr. Like Wu and Dr. Xiaojuan Wang |
