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Stem Cell Strategy for Spinal Cord Injuries: The New Frontier

Knee Stem Cell Injections - Spinal cord injuries are injuries that occur to any level of the vertebrae. Although the hard bones of 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. Vertebrae injuries vary inside their severity, but almost inevitably cause various forms of compromised functionality since the spinal cord is in effect the key pathway for information traveling around the human body. Exactly what body functions are impaired from the injury will depend on the region of the spine that has been damaged and the extent that the spine has been affected. Although serious impacts including falls and motor vehicle accidents account for many spinal cord injuries, tumors growing near to the column can also damage sensitive nerve tissue and possess the same effects.

Knee Stem Cell Injections - For years scientists have been working to try and find a way to remedy the different ailments that spinal-cord injuries can bring, however with limited success. However, in recent years 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 methods are the use of stem cells.

What are Stem Cells and Stem Cell Treatments?

Knee Stem Cell Injections - Stem cells are located in all multi cellular organisms and are characterized by their ability to tell apart into a diverse array of specialized cells when they divide and renew themselves. They are remarkable for their capability to regenerate themselves into almost any other human cell. Their use in the treatment of various diseases and conditions, from Leukemia to Multiple Sclerosis, is now becoming more common. With respect to the condition, stem cells can be transplanted into the patient to assist 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 hasn't experienced a complete spinal cord injury, i.e. a complete severing of the spinal cord leading to a loss of function underneath the 'neurological' level. There has been positive results in helping patients recover greater sensory and physiological ability.

Vertebrae Injury: How Stem Cell Treatment Works

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

Phase one necessitates the harvesting of stem cells. The cells are extracted from a fetus's umbilical cord. They are then put through an activity whereby they are isolated and purified before they are finally cultured being suitable for clinical use.

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

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

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

3) Tissue injection - direct injection into target tissues.

Phase three necessitates the monitoring of the patient to ensure there are no adverse negative effects. The only side effects reported up to now were caused by the lumbar puncture, rather than the stem cell treatment itself, with simply 15% of patients reporting mild headaches. At that time 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 also now a major centre for the stem cell treatment of many diseases and types of conditions. The Chinese government has poured millions of dollars into research on regenerative medicine, which investment has really borne fruit within the last few years. As a result of this expanded investment, Chinese contributions to scientific journals on regenerative medicine topics leapt from 37 in 2000 to 1,116 in 2008, exceeded only through the contributions of experts in the USA, Germany, Japan and also 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 to China has contributed significantly to the country's success in the field." The authors were "amazed that most the top Chinese researchers within the regenerative medicine field ended up educated in the US as well as the UK and gained extensive experiences there in leading edge research."

Although in the past treatment in China may have been considered risky due to lax health and safety laws, recent years have seen an increase in legislation protecting the sufferer, and improving the functionality of clinics. Since 2009, proof safety and efficacy through many studies is required by China's Secretary of state for Health for all stem cell and gene therapies, making sure Chinese clinics meet international standards inside their qualifications and methodology. As of January 2010, about 1,500 patients had received this treatment 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 a human skin cell in to the immature ovum cell of a rabbit, researchers from your 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 of which are of a specialized type that during those times 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 assist aid patients through regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy. Below are several projects underway within Chinese institutions:

ChinaSCINet, a consortium of 27 medical facilities, start phase 2 many studies to test the efficacy and safety of using cord blood stem cells and oral lithium to take care of about 40 patients with spinal-cord injuries.
Clinical trials are underway around the use of stem cell therapies to take care of patients of heart attacks, 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.
Testimonials from the Treatment of Spinal-cord Injuries in China

Lots of people of all ages and with varying degrees of injury have received stem cell treatment in China over the last few years. It is important to remember that not every patient will react as well as others, and that the age of the sufferer and the severity of damages greatly affect the chances of recovery. However, there have 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 it was unable to control her going number 2. Within 8 months with the treatment she regained movement in the her legs, could bend her knees (even though the 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 a number of bouts of stem cell treatment following any sort of accident while diving right into a river that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Following his treatments, Razan reported in 2008 that not only could he moved to his arms almost normally, and may feel pain in many of his fingers, he could "even feel warm and cold" sensations. He went on to add the following: "Now I'm able to control my urine for 10 mins and the sensation both for urine and stool is much better. Generally, my system is more powerful than ever before."

Donald Maricelli, a 54 years old US citizen, suffered a spinal cord injury carrying out a fall in 2002. He underwent surgery to correct his not enough 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 had been unable to walk unaided. Pursuing the treatment, which commenced in November 2007, Donald makes significant improvements. He regained sensation throughout the majority of his abdomen, as well as the sensation in his legs also improved. Particularly significant, the sensation on the bottom of his feet went back, helping him simply to walk without tripping. Most significant to Donald was which he regained control and strength as part of his left leg, allowing him just to walk significant distances and stand for prolonged periods of time.

There are numerous more success stories from patients who've received this pioneering treatment to help 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 period of time. A lot of hard work adopts the post treatment rehabilitation, also 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 an essential key to the future of helping individuals with spinal cord injuries recover their lost functions. Each month, more and more people are going to various cities across the country that offer different packages of treatment depending on precisely what injury continues to be inflicted. The level of service has improved greatly in recent years, and continues to improve monthly, meaning that those unfortunate enough to get suffered spinal cord injuries need no longer feel theirs is really a lost cause. There is a very real chance the standard of living of any patient can be improved with little pain, little hospital time, along with a little motivation. The present evidence shows that stem cell therapy for spinal cord injuries is the solution.