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Stem Cell Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries: The New Frontier

Knee Stem Cells - 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 with the spinal cord, vertebrae can nonetheless be broken or dislocated in many different ways and cause traumatic trouble for the spinal cord. Spinal-cord injuries vary within 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 travel around the human body. Just what body functions are impaired through the injury will depend on the area of the spine which has been damaged and the extent to which the spine has been affected. Although serious impacts such as falls and automobile accidents account for many spinal-cord injuries, tumors growing near the column can also damage sensitive nerve tissue and possess the same effects.

Knee Stem Cells - For decades scientists have been working to try and find a way to remedy the many ailments that vertebrae injuries can bring, but with limited success. However, lately a pioneering new technology has emerged that is helping many people around the world regain part, it not exclusively, 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 Injections - Stem cells are located in all multi cellular organisms and so 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 almost any other human cell. Their use within 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 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 is now being applied to the treatment of spinal cord injuries using stem cells, as well as in instances where the patient hasn't experienced a complete vertebrae injury, i.e. an entire severing of the spinal-cord leading to a loss of function below 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 spinal cord, myelopathy (damage to the fibres that carry messages to and from the brain) has occurred. These 'myelinated fibre tracts' are the focus of stem cell treatment, and so are the nerve cells the treatment helps to regenerate. The procedure usually follows three phases and often requires no longer when compared to a period of around five weeks in health care for monitoring:

Phase one involves the harvesting of stem cells. Cells 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 be suitable for clinical use.

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

1) Lumbar puncture - a procedure used where stem cells could be injected directly into the backbone.

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

3) Tissue injection - direct injection into target tissues.

Phase three necessitates the monitoring of the patient to make sure there are no adverse side effects. The only side effects reported up to now were caused by the lumbar puncture, and never the stem cell treatment itself, just 15% of patients reporting mild headaches. At that time under medical supervision, patients undergo various physiotherapy activities as well as other treatments as necessary.

Stem Cell Research and Treatment in China

China is quickly becoming a world leader in stem cell research, and is also now a major centre for your 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 by the contributions of experts in america, Germany, Japan and the UK.

The government in addition has aggressively recruited high-caliber scientists trained abroad looking for its ambition to become world leader in 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 inside the field." The authors were "amazed that most the top Chinese researchers in the regenerative medicine field ended up educated in the US as well as the UK and gained extensive practical knowledge there in innovative research."

Although previously treatment in China may have been considered risky due to 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 clinical trials is required by China's Secretary of state for Health for all stem cell and gene therapies, making certain Chinese clinics meet international standards within their qualifications and methodology. By 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.

Additionally, China has long held a spot 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 to the immature ovum cell of a 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 during those times only two other groups worldwide had were able to create.
Harboured several human tissue types, created artificially, including blood vessel, 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. Listed here 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 employing cord blood stem cells and oral lithium to treat about 40 patients with spinal cord injuries.
Clinical trials are underway around the use of stem cell therapies to treat patients of strokes, 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 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 throughout 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 patient and the severity of the damage greatly affect the odds 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 below the injury site, and it was unable to control her going number 2. Within 8 months of the treatment she regained movement both in her legs, could bend her knees (even though toes of one foot remained 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 a major 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 moved to his arms almost normally, and may feel pain in a number of of his fingers, he could "even feel warm and cold" sensations. He went on to add the following: "Now I will control my urine for 10 mins and the sensation for urine and stool is more preferable. Generally, my system is more powerful than before."

Donald Maricelli, a 54 yr old US citizen, suffered a spinal cord injury carrying out a fall in 2002. He underwent a surgical procedure to correct his insufficient sensation in his lower body, however there was complications and Donald was left in a worse state than 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 nearly all of his abdomen, and also the sensation in his legs also improved. Particularly significant, the sensation on the bottom of his feet returned, helping him simply to walk without tripping. Most important to Donald was he regained control and strength in the left leg, allowing him simply to walk significant distances and are a symbol of prolonged periods of time.

There are lots of more success stories from patients who have received this pioneering treatment to aid correct varying examples of spinal cord injury. However, it is usually important to remember that not all patients recover exactly the same functions in the same time frame. 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 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 who have spinal cord injuries recover their lost functions. On a monthly basis, more and more people are visiting various cities around the country that offer different packages of treatment based on precisely what injury continues to be inflicted. The level of service has improved greatly recently, and continues to improve every month, meaning that those unfortunate enough to have suffered spinal cord injuries need no longer feel theirs can be 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, plus a little motivation. The existing evidence shows that stem cell therapy for spinal-cord injuries is the solution.