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Stem Cell Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries: The newest Frontier

Knee Stem Cells - Spinal cord injuries are injuries that eventually any level of the spinal cord. Although the hard bones of the spinal column protect the soft tissues of the spinal cord, vertebrae can still be broken or dislocated in many different ways and cause traumatic trouble for 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 primary pathway for information to visit around the human body. Exactly what body functions are impaired from the injury will depend on the location of the spine that's been damaged and the extent to which the spine continues to be affected. Although serious impacts for example falls and motor vehicle accidents account for many spinal-cord injuries, tumors growing close to the column can also damage sensitive nerve tissue and also have the same effects.

Knee Stem Cell Injections - For decades scientists have been working to try and find a way to remedy the various ailments that spinal-cord injuries can bring, but with limited success. However, recently a pioneering new technologies have emerged that is helping lots of people around the world regain part, if not completely, of their previously lost mobility. That treatment methods are the use of stem cells.

What exactly are Stem Cells and Stem Cell Treatments?

Knee Stem Cell Injections - Stem cells are simply in all multi cellular organisms and are characterized by their ability to differentiate into a diverse range of specialized cells when they divide and renew themselves. They may be remarkable for their capability to regenerate themselves into any human cell. Their use within the treatment of various diseases and types of conditions, from Leukemia to Multiple Sclerosis, is now becoming more common. Depending on 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 the management of spinal cord injuries using stem cells, as well as in instances where the patient has not experienced a complete spinal cord injury, i.e. a whole severing of the spinal-cord leading to a loss of function beneath 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 vertebrae, myelopathy (damage to the fibres that carry messages to and from the brain) has occurred. These 'myelinated fibre tracts' will be the focus of stem cell treatment, and therefore are the nerve cells that the treatment helps to regenerate. The task usually follows three phases in most cases requires no longer than a period of around five weeks in medical care for monitoring:

Phase one necessitates the harvesting of stem cells. Cellular structure are extracted from a fetus's umbilical cord. They are then put through a procedure whereby they are isolated and purified prior to being finally cultured being 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 process used where stem cells can be injected directly into the backbone.

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

3) Tissue injection - direct injection into target tissues.

Phase three necessitates the monitoring of the patient to make certain there are no adverse side effects. The only side effects reported thus far were caused by the lumbar puncture, and never the stem cell treatment itself, with only 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 is now a major centre for that stem cell treatment of many diseases and scenarios. The Chinese government has poured millions of dollars into research on regenerative medicine, which investment has really borne fruit in 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 america, Germany, Japan as well as the UK.

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

Although in the past treatment in China might have been considered risky due to lax health and safety laws, recent years have seen an increase in legislation protecting the patient, and improving the functionality of clinics. Since 2009, proof of safety and efficacy through clinical trials is required by China's Secretary of state for Health for all stem cell and gene therapies, ensuring that Chinese clinics meet international standards inside their qualifications and methodology. At the time 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.

In addition to this, China has long held a location at the forefront of stem cell research to take care of all manner of conditions. A number of China's notable contributions to stem cell research are:

By transferring the nucleus of the human skin cell to the immature ovum cell of the rabbit, researchers from a Shanghai hospital successfully produced embryonic human cells.
China to date 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 presently involved with a myriad of projects to assist 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 utilizing cord blood stem cells and oral lithium to deal with about 40 patients with spinal cord injuries.
Clinical trials are underway around 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 treat heart, liver and blood diseases, eye cataracts, and also to combat aging.
Successes from the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries in China

Lots of people of all ages and with varying levels of injury have received stem cell treatment in China throughout the last few years. It is important to understand that not every patient will react as well as others, and that the age of the individual and the severity of damages greatly affect the likelihood of recovery. However, there has been 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 it was unable to control her bowel motions. Within 8 months from the treatment she regained movement both in her legs, could bend her knees (even though toes of one foot were still paralyzed) and was even in a position to walk with crutches.

Razvan Iordache, a Romanian citizen aged 30, travelled to China for many bouts of stem cell treatment following a major accident while diving into a river that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Following his treatments, Razan reported in 2008 that doesn't only could he now use his arms almost normally, and could feel pain in a number of of his fingers, he could "even feel warm and cold" sensations. He continued to add the following: "Now I'm able to control my urine for 10 minutes and the sensation for both urine and stool is much better. Generally, my system is more powerful than ever before."

Donald Maricelli, a 54 year old US citizen, suffered a spinal cord injury carrying out a fall in 2002. He underwent a surgical procedure to correct his lack of sensation in his lower body, however there was complications and Donald remained in a worse state than ever before. Before arriving for treatment in China, he was still unable to walk unaided. Pursuing the treatment, which commenced in November 2007, Donald has created significant improvements. He regained sensation throughout the majority of his abdomen, and also the sensation in his legs also improved. Particularly crucial, the sensation on the bottom of his feet went back, helping him just to walk without tripping. Most critical to Donald was that he regained control and strength in the left leg, allowing him just to walk significant distances and indicate prolonged periods of time.

There are lots of more success stories from patients that have received this pioneering treatment to assist correct varying examples of spinal cord injury. However, it will always be important to remember that not all patients recover exactly the same functions in the same time period. A lot of hard work goes into the post treatment rehabilitation, and it takes great drive, determination and ambition to allow the body to get back to more regular functionality. However, the work being done by scientists and clinics in China indicates time and again that stem cells hold a very important key to the future of helping people with spinal cord injuries recover their lost functions. Each month, more and more people are travelling to various cities around the country that offer different packages of treatment according to precisely what injury continues to be inflicted. The level of service has improved greatly in recent years, and continues to improve each month, meaning that those unfortunate enough to get suffered spinal cord injuries need no longer feel theirs is a lost cause. There exists a very real chance the standard of living of any patient may be improved with little pain, little hospital time, plus a little motivation. The existing evidence shows that stem cell therapy for spinal-cord injuries is the solution.