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Stem Cell Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries: The newest Frontier
Knee Stem Cell Injections - Spinal cord injuries are injuries that happen to any level of the spinal cord. Although the hard bones of 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 trouble for the spinal cord. Vertebrae injuries vary within their severity, but almost inevitably cause various forms of compromised functionality since the spinal cord is in effect the primary pathway for information to visit around the human body. Precisely what body functions are impaired through the injury will depend on the area of the spine that's been damaged and the extent to which the spine may be affected. Although serious impacts including falls and car accidents account for many spinal cord injuries, tumors growing near the column can also damage sensitive nerve tissue and also have 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 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 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 capacity to regenerate themselves into almost any other human cell. Their use in the treatment of various diseases and types of conditions, from Leukemia to Ms, is now becoming more common. With respect to the condition, stem cells may 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, plus instances where the patient has not yet experienced a complete spinal cord 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.
Spinal-cord Injury: How Stem Cell Treatment Works
When there is trauma to the spinal-cord, 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 so are the nerve cells the treatment helps to regenerate. The procedure usually follows three phases and often requires no longer than a period of around five weeks in medical treatment for monitoring:
Phase one necessitates the harvesting of stem cells. Cells 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 to become suitable for clinical use.
Phase two will be the transplantation of the stem cells. This is accomplished in one of 3 ways:
1) Lumbar puncture - a process used where stem cells could be injected directly into the spine.
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 negative 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. 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 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, understanding that 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 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 to China has contributed significantly to the country's success inside the field." The authors were "amazed that the majority the top Chinese researchers in the regenerative medicine field have been educated in the US and the UK and gained extensive experiences there in leading edge research."
Although before 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 sufferer, and improving the functionality of clinics. Since 2009, proof safety and efficacy through many studies is required by China's Ministry of Health for all stem cell and gene therapies, making sure Chinese clinics meet international standards inside their qualifications and methodology. At the time 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 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 in to the immature ovum cell of your rabbit, researchers from your Shanghai hospital successfully produced embryonic human cells.
China up to now has created at least 25 human embryonic stem cell lines (some estimate over 70 stem cell lines), four which are of a specialized type that at that time 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, are starting phase 2 numerous studies to test the efficacy and safety of employing 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 treat patients of cardiac arrest, artery obstruction, and liver and neural diseases.
Research is underway on the potential use of stem cells to deal with heart, liver and blood diseases, eye cataracts, also to combat aging.
Successes from the Treatment of Spinal-cord Injuries in China
Many 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 understand that not every patient will react as well as others, and that the age of the patient 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 beneath the injury site, and was unable to control her going number 2. Within 8 months of the treatment she regained movement in both her legs, could bend her knees (although the toes of one foot remained paralyzed) and was even able to walk with crutches.
Razvan Iordache, a Romanian citizen aged 30, travelled to China for many bouts of stem cell treatment following an accident while diving right 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 might feel pain in a number of of his fingers, he could "even feel warm and cold" sensations. He proceeded to add the following: "Now I'm able to control my urine for 10 minutes and the sensation for both urine and stool is more preferable. Generally, my physique 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 an operation to correct his insufficient sensation in his lower body, however there were complications and Donald was left in a worse state than before. Before arriving for treatment in China, he had been unable to walk unaided. Following a treatment, which commenced in November 2007, Donald makes significant improvements. He regained sensation throughout nearly all of his abdomen, and also 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 important to Donald was which he regained control and strength in his left leg, allowing him simply to walk significant distances and are a symbol of prolonged periods of time.
There are many more success stories from patients who've received this pioneering treatment to aid correct varying degrees 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 adopts the post treatment rehabilitation, plus it takes great drive, determination and ambition to allow the body to get back to more regular functionality. However, the job being done by scientists and clinics in China has shown 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. Each month, more and more people are visiting 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 recently, and continues to improve each month, meaning that those unfortunate enough to possess suffered spinal cord injuries need will no longer feel theirs can be a lost cause. There exists a very real chance that the standard of living of any patient could be improved with little pain, little hospital time, along with a little motivation. The existing evidence shows that stem cell therapy for vertebrae injuries is the way forward.
