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Stem Cell Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries: The newest Frontier

Knee Stem Cell Treatment - Spinal cord injuries are injuries that happen to any level of the vertebrae. Although the hard bones from the spinal column protect the soft tissues of the spinal cord, vertebrae can nonetheless be broken or dislocated in a variety of ways and cause traumatic injury to the spinal cord. Spinal cord injuries vary in their severity, but almost inevitably lead to various forms of compromised functionality because the spinal cord is in effect the key pathway for information traveling around the human body. Exactly what body functions are impaired by the injury will depend on the region of the spine that has been damaged and the extent to which the spine continues to be affected. Although serious impacts including falls and automobile accidents account for many spinal cord injuries, tumors growing close to the column can also damage sensitive nerve tissue and possess the same effects.

Knee Stem Cell Treatment - For many years scientists have been working to try and find a way to remedy the different ailments that vertebrae injuries can bring, but with limited success. However, recently a pioneering new technology has emerged that is helping many people around the world regain part, if not all, of their previously lost mobility. That treatment is the use of stem cells.

Exactly what are Stem Cells and Stem Cell Treatments?

Knee Stem Cell Treatment - Stem cells are simply in all multi cellular organisms and are characterized by their ability to distinguish into a diverse selection of specialized cells after they divide and renew themselves. They're remarkable for their capability to regenerate themselves into almost any other human cell. Their use in the treatment of various diseases and scenarios, from Leukemia to Multiple Sclerosis, is now becoming more common. With respect to the condition, stem cells may be transplanted into the patient to help renew and regenerate previously damaged cells, giving patients renewed hope when, before, no reliable treatment existed.

This principle has become being applied to treating spinal cord injuries using stem cells, and in instances where the patient hasn't experienced a complete spinal-cord injury, i.e. an entire severing of the spinal-cord leading to a loss of function underneath the 'neurological' level. There has been good success in helping patients recover greater sensory and physiological ability.

Spinal Cord Injury: How Stem Cell Treatment Works

If you have trauma to the spinal-cord, myelopathy (damage to the fibres that carry messages to and from the brain) has occurred. These 'myelinated fibre tracts' would be the focus of stem cell treatment, and are the nerve cells that the treatment helps to regenerate. The process usually follows three phases and often requires no longer than a period of around five weeks in medical treatment for monitoring:

Phase one requires the harvesting of stem cells. Cellular structure are extracted from a fetus's umbilical cord. They may be then put through a procedure whereby they are isolated and purified prior to being finally cultured to become suitable for clinical use.

Phase two will be the transplantation of the stem cells. This is achieved in one of three ways:

1) Lumbar puncture - a procedure used where stem cells may be injected directly into the spinal column.

2) Intravenous injection- stem cells are injected to the patient's vein.

3) Tissue injection - direct injection into target tissues.

Phase three involves the monitoring of the patient to make sure there are no adverse negative effects. The only side effects reported thus far were caused by the lumbar puncture, rather than the stem cell treatment itself, just 15% of patients reporting mild headaches. In the period under medical supervision, patients undergo various physiotherapy activities and other treatments as necessary.

Stem Cell Research and Treatment in China

China is fast becoming a world leader in stem cell research, and it is now a major centre for that stem cell management of many diseases and scenarios. The Chinese government has poured many millions of dollars into research on regenerative medicine, understanding that investment has really borne fruit during the last few years. As a result of this expanded investment, Chinese contributions to scientific journals on regenerative medicine topics leapt from 37 in year 2000 to 1,116 in 2008, exceeded only from the contributions of experts in the united states, Germany, Japan and the UK.

The government in addition has aggressively recruited high-caliber scientists trained abroad looking for its ambition to turn into a world leader inside the field. Indeed, the McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health commented that, "the government's policy of attracting highly educated Chinese nationals to China has contributed significantly for the country's success inside the field." The authors were "amazed that most the top Chinese researchers inside the regenerative medicine field had been educated in the US and also the UK and gained extensive working experience there in innovative research."

Although previously treatment in China might have been considered risky because of lax health and safety laws, recent times have seen an increase in legislation protecting the individual, and improving the functionality of clinics. Since 2009, evidence of safety and efficacy through clinical trials is required by China's Secretary of state for Health for all stem cell and gene therapies, making sure Chinese clinics meet international standards in their qualifications and methodology. As of January 2010, about 1,500 patients had received laser hair removal for spinal cord injury at one Beijing clinic alone, including roughly 1,000 foreigners.

Additionally, China has long held a place at the forefront of stem cell research to take care of all manner of conditions. A few of China's notable contributions to stem cell research are:

By transferring the nucleus of your human skin cell in to the immature ovum cell of the rabbit, researchers from the Shanghai hospital successfully produced embryonic human cells.
China thus far has created at least 25 human embryonic stem cell lines (some estimate over 70 stem cell lines), four that are of a specialized type that in those days only two other groups worldwide had managed to create.
Harboured several human tissue types, created artificially, including circulatory, tendon, bone, cartilage, skin, cornea and muscle fibre.
Furthermore, Chinese researchers are currently involved with a myriad of projects to help aid patients through regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy. Listed here are several projects underway within Chinese institutions:

ChinaSCINet, a consortium of 27 medical facilities, are beginning phase 2 clinical trials to test the efficacy and safety of employing cord blood stem cells and oral lithium to take care of about 40 patients with spinal-cord injuries.
Clinical trials are underway about the use of stem cell therapies to treat patients of cardiac arrest, artery obstruction, and liver and neural diseases.
Studies are underway on the potential use of stem cells to deal with heart, liver and blood diseases, eye cataracts, and to combat aging.
Testimonials from the Treatment of Spinal-cord Injuries in China

Many people of all ages and with varying examples of injury have received stem cell treatment in China during the last few years. It is important to keep in mind that not every patient will react and more, and that the age of the individual and the severity of the damage greatly affect the odds of recovery. However, there were many success stories from both Chinese citizens and foreigners.

Before her treatment began in January 2006, Ms. Pai, 38, from Shenyang couldn't move her body beneath the injury site, and was unable to control her bowel motions. Within 8 months of the treatment she regained movement both in her legs, could bend her knees (even though toes of one foot remained as paralyzed) and was even able to walk with crutches.

Razvan Iordache, a Romanian citizen aged 30, travelled to China for many bouts of stem cell treatment following any sort of accident while diving into a river that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Following his treatments, Razan reported in 2008 that does not only could he now use his arms almost normally, and may feel pain in several of his fingers, he could "even feel warm and cold" sensations. He went on to add the following: "Now I can control my urine for Ten minutes and the sensation for urine and stool is more preferable. Generally, my physique is more powerful than before."

Donald Maricelli, a 54 year old US citizen, suffered a spinal cord injury using a fall in 2002. He underwent surgery to correct his insufficient sensation in his lower body, however there have been complications and Donald remained in a worse state than before. Before arriving for treatment in China, he had been unable to walk unaided. Pursuing the treatment, which commenced in November 2007, Donald has made significant improvements. He regained sensation throughout most of his abdomen, and also the sensation in his legs also improved. Particularly crucial, the sensation on the bottom of his feet returned, helping him simply to walk without tripping. Most critical to Donald was that he regained control and strength in his left leg, allowing him to walk significant distances and are a symbol of prolonged periods of time.

There are many more success stories from patients who have received this pioneering treatment to aid correct varying degrees of spinal cord injury. However, it is always important to remember that not all patients recover exactly the same functions in the same time period. A lot of hard work adopts the post treatment rehabilitation, also it takes great drive, determination and ambition to enable the body to get back to more regular functionality. However, the work being done by scientists and clinics in China has shown time and again that stem cells hold a critical key to the future of helping individuals with spinal cord injuries recover their lost functions. Each month, more and more people are visiting various cities across the country that offer different packages of treatment according to precisely what injury continues to be inflicted. The level of service has improved greatly lately, and continues to improve each month, meaning that those unfortunate enough to possess suffered spinal cord injuries need no longer feel theirs is a lost cause. There is a very real chance how the standard of living of any patient can be improved with little pain, little hospital time, along with a little motivation. The current evidence shows that stem cell therapy for vertebrae injuries is the answer.