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Stem Cell Strategy to Spinal Cord Injuries: The New Frontier

Knee Stem Cells - Spinal cord injuries are injuries that occur to any level of the spinal cord. Although the hard bones from the spinal column protect the soft tissues with 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 inside their severity, but almost inevitably result in various forms of compromised functionality because the spinal cord is in effect the key pathway for information traveling around the human body. Precisely what body functions are impaired through the injury will depend on the region of the spine that has been damaged and the extent that the spine may be affected. Although serious impacts including falls and motor vehicle 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 Cells - For many years scientists have been working to try and find a way to remedy the many ailments that spinal-cord injuries can bring, however with limited success. However, in recent years a pioneering new technology has emerged that is helping thousands of people around the world regain part, if not all, 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 Treatment - Stem cells are located in all multi cellular organisms and therefore are characterized by their ability to distinguish into a diverse selection of specialized cells when they divide and renew themselves. They may be remarkable for their capability to regenerate themselves into just about any human cell. Their used in the treatment of various diseases and types of conditions, from Leukemia to Multiple Sclerosis, is now becoming more common. With respect to the condition, stem cells could 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, and in instances where the patient has not experienced a complete vertebrae 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.

Vertebrae 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' would be the focus of stem cell treatment, and are the nerve cells how the treatment helps to regenerate. The process usually follows three phases in most cases requires no longer than a period of around five weeks in health care for monitoring:

Phase one requires the harvesting of stem cells. Cellular structure are extracted from a fetus's umbilical cord. They're 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 accomplished in one of three ways:

1) Lumbar puncture - an operation used where stem cells can be injected directly into the spine.

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

3) Tissue injection - direct injection into target tissues.

Phase three involves the monitoring of the patient to make certain there are no adverse negative effects. The only side effects reported thus far were caused by the lumbar puncture, and not the stem cell treatment itself, with simply 15% of patients reporting mild headaches. At that time under medical supervision, patients undergo various physiotherapy activities along with other treatments as necessary.

Stem Cell Research and Treatment in China

China is fast-becoming a world leader in stem cell research, and is also 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, and that 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 by the contributions of experts in the united states, Germany, Japan and the UK.

The government has also aggressively recruited high-caliber scientists trained abroad looking for its ambition to become 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 returning 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 as well as the UK and gained extensive experiences there in leading edge research."

Although previously treatment in China might have been considered risky because of lax health and safety laws, the past few years have seen an increase in legislation protecting the sufferer, and improving the functionality of clinics. Since 2009, evidence of safety and efficacy through many studies 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. As of January 2010, about 1,500 patients had received botox cosmetic injections for spinal cord injury at one Beijing clinic alone, including roughly 1,000 foreigners.

In addition to this, China has long held a place 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 into the immature ovum cell of the rabbit, researchers from the 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 of which 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 blood vessel, tendon, bone, cartilage, skin, cornea and muscle fibre.
Furthermore, Chinese researchers are involved with a myriad of projects to aid 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, start phase 2 numerous studies to test the efficacy and safety of utilizing cord blood stem cells and oral lithium to take care of about 40 patients with vertebrae injuries.
Clinical trials are underway about the use of stem cell therapies to take care of patients of cardiac arrest, artery obstruction, and liver and neural diseases.
Research is underway on the potential utilization of stem cells to deal with heart, liver and blood diseases, eye cataracts, also to combat aging.
Successes from the Treatment of Vertebrae Injuries in China

Many individuals of all ages and with varying degrees 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 sufferer and the severity of the damage 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 underneath the injury site, and 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 the toes of one foot remained as paralyzed) and was even in a position to walk with crutches.

Razvan Iordache, a Romanian citizen aged 30, travelled to China for a number of bouts of stem cell treatment following any sort of accident while diving in to a river that left him paralyzed from your neck down. Following his treatments, Razan reported in 2008 that does not only could he now use his arms almost normally, and could feel pain in many 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 both for urine and stool is more preferable. Generally, my system is more powerful than ever before."

Donald Maricelli, a 54 yr old US citizen, suffered a spinal cord injury following a fall in 2002. He underwent a surgical procedure to correct his not enough sensation in his lower body, however there have been complications and Donald was left in a worse state than ever before. Before arriving for treatment in China, he was still unable to walk unaided. Following the treatment, which commenced in November 2007, Donald has created significant improvements. He regained sensation throughout most of his abdomen, and also the sensation in his legs also improved. Particularly significant, the sensation on the bottom of his feet came back, helping him to walk without tripping. Most critical to Donald was that he regained control and strength in his left leg, allowing him simply to walk significant distances and stand for prolonged periods of time.

There are numerous more success stories from patients that have received this pioneering treatment to assist correct varying levels of spinal cord injury. However, it is always important to remember that not all patients recover the identical functions in the same time period. A lot of hard work adopts 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 task being done by scientists and clinics in China shows time and again that stem cells hold a critical key to the future of helping people who have spinal cord injuries recover their lost functions. On a monthly basis, more and more people are going to various cities around the country that offer different packages of treatment based on precisely what injury may be inflicted. The level of service has improved greatly lately, and continues to improve monthly, meaning that those unfortunate enough to possess suffered spinal cord injuries need no more feel theirs is really a lost cause. There is a very real chance the standard of living of any patient could be improved with little pain, little hospital time, plus a little motivation. The current evidence shows that stem cell therapy for spinal-cord injuries is the solution.