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Stem Cell Strategy for Spinal Cord Injuries: The brand new Frontier

Knee Stem Cell Injections - 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 from the spinal cord, vertebrae can still be broken or dislocated in a number of ways and cause traumatic problems for the spinal cord. Vertebrae injuries vary within their severity, but almost inevitably cause various forms of compromised functionality because the spinal cord is in effect the key pathway for information to travel around the human body. Just what body functions are impaired by the injury will depend on the region of the spine that's been damaged and the extent to which the spine has been affected. Although serious impacts for example falls and automobile accidents account for many spinal-cord injuries, tumors growing close to the column can also damage sensitive nerve tissue and 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, though limited success. However, in recent years a pioneering new technologies have emerged that is helping lots of people around the world regain part, it not exclusively, of their previously lost mobility. That treatment methods are the use of stem cells.

What are Stem Cells and Stem Cell Treatments?

Knee Stem Cells - Stem cells are simply in all multi cellular organisms and therefore are characterized by their ability to differentiate into a diverse array of specialized cells after they divide and renew themselves. They may be remarkable for their capacity to regenerate themselves into 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. Based on 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 is now being applied to treating spinal cord injuries using stem cells, and in instances where the patient has not experienced a complete spinal cord injury, i.e. an entire 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 find trauma to the spinal-cord, myelopathy (damage to the fibres that carry messages both 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 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 care for monitoring:

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

Phase two is the transplantation of the stem cells. This is accomplished in one of 3 ways:

1) Lumbar puncture - a procedure 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 sure there are no adverse side 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. 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 your stem cell treatment of many diseases and conditions. 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 2000 to 1,116 in 2008, exceeded only through the contributions of experts in the USA, Germany, Japan and also the UK.

The government in addition has aggressively recruited high-caliber scientists trained abroad looking for its ambition to become 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 back to China has contributed significantly towards the country's success within the field." The authors were "amazed that the majority the top Chinese researchers within the regenerative medicine field had been educated in the US as well as the UK and gained extensive working experience there in innovative research."

Although previously treatment in China may 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, proof 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 within 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.

Furthermore, China has long held a location at the forefront of stem cell research to treat all manner of conditions. A few 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 your rabbit, researchers from a 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 at that time only two other groups worldwide had were able to create.
Harboured several human tissue types, created artificially, including circulation system, tendon, bone, cartilage, skin, cornea and muscle fibre.
Furthermore, Chinese researchers are presently involved with a myriad of projects to help aid patients through regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy. Below are several projects underway within Chinese institutions:

ChinaSCINet, a consortium of 27 medical facilities, are starting phase 2 numerous studies to test the efficacy and safety of using cord blood stem cells and oral lithium to take care of about 40 patients with vertebrae injuries.
Clinical trials are underway on the use of stem cell therapies to deal with patients of cardiac arrest, artery obstruction, and liver and neural diseases.
Research is underway on the potential usage of stem cells to take care of heart, liver and blood diseases, eye cataracts, and also to combat aging.
Successes from the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries in China

Many individuals 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 understand that not every patient will react and more, and that the age of the sufferer and the severity of the injury greatly affect the likelihood 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 bowel movements. Within 8 months of the treatment she regained movement both in her legs, could bend her knees (although the toes of one foot remained paralyzed) and was even capable of 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 in the neck down. Following his treatments, Razan reported in 2008 that doesn't only could he are now using his arms almost normally, and could 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 10 mins and the sensation for both urine and stool is more preferable. Generally, my system is more powerful than before."

Donald Maricelli, a 54 year old US citizen, a break down spinal cord injury carrying out a fall in 2002. He underwent surgery to correct his lack of sensation in his lower body, however there was complications and Donald stayed 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 makes significant improvements. He regained sensation throughout nearly all of his abdomen, and the sensation in his legs also improved. Particularly crucial, the sensation on the bottom of his feet came 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 to walk significant distances and indicate prolonged periods of time.

There are numerous more success stories from patients who've received this pioneering treatment to help correct varying levels of spinal cord injury. However, it is always 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 enable the body to get back to more regular functionality. However, the job being done by scientists and clinics in China shows time and again that stem cells hold an essential key to the future of helping people with spinal cord injuries recover their lost functions. Every month, more and more people are travelling to various cities around the country that offer different packages of treatment according to precisely what injury has been inflicted. The level of service has improved greatly recently, and continues to improve each month, meaning that those unfortunate enough to possess suffered spinal cord injuries need no more feel theirs is really a lost cause. There's a very real chance that the standard of living of any patient could be improved with little pain, little hospital time, and a little motivation. The current evidence shows that stem cell therapy for spinal cord injuries is the answer.