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Stem Cell Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries: The newest Frontier
Knee Stem Cells - Spinal cord injuries are injuries that occur to any level of the spinal-cord. Although the hard bones with the spinal column protect the soft tissues of the spinal cord, vertebrae can still be broken or dislocated in a variety of ways and cause traumatic trouble for the spinal cord. Spinal-cord injuries vary within their severity, but almost inevitably cause various forms of compromised functionality as the spinal cord is in effect the main pathway for information traveling around the human body. Exactly what body functions are impaired through the injury will depend on the region of the spine that has been damaged and the extent to which the spine has been affected. Although serious impacts for example falls and car accidents account for many vertebrae 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 attempting to try and find a way to remedy the various ailments that spinal-cord injuries can bring, but with limited success. However, lately 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 solutions are the use of stem cells.
What exactly are Stem Cells and Stem Cell Treatments?
Knee Stem Cell Injections - Stem cells are simply in all multi cellular organisms and are characterized by their ability to differentiate into a diverse selection of specialized cells after they divide and renew themselves. They're 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 Ms, is now becoming more common. Based on 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 treatment of spinal cord injuries using stem cells, and in instances where the patient hasn't experienced a complete spinal cord injury, i.e. an entire severing of the spinal-cord leading to a loss of function underneath the 'neurological' level. There has been great success in helping patients recover greater sensory and physiological ability.
Spinal-cord Injury: How Stem Cell Treatment Works
If you find trauma to the vertebrae, 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 how the treatment helps to regenerate. The process usually follows three phases and often requires no longer when compared to a period of around five weeks in medical care for monitoring:
Phase one involves the harvesting of stem cells. The cells are extracted from a fetus's umbilical cord. They are then put through a process whereby they are isolated and purified before they are finally cultured to become suitable for clinical use.
Phase two may be the transplantation of the stem cells. This is done in one of three ways:
1) Lumbar puncture - an operation used where stem cells can 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 involves the monitoring of the patient to ensure there are no adverse side effects. The only side effects reported thus far were caused by the lumbar puncture, rather than the stem cell treatment itself, with simply 15% of patients reporting mild headaches. During the 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 your stem cell treating many diseases and types of conditions. The Chinese government has poured many millions of dollars into research on regenerative medicine, understanding 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 from the contributions of experts in america, Germany, Japan and the UK.
The government has also 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 towards the country's success inside the field." The authors were "amazed that almost all the top Chinese researchers in the regenerative medicine field had been educated in the US and the UK and gained extensive working experience there in leading edge research."
Although previously treatment in China could have been considered risky because of lax health and safety laws, recent times have seen an increase in legislation protecting the sufferer, and improving the functionality of clinics. Since 2009, proof safety and efficacy through numerous 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 in their qualifications and methodology. As of January 2010, about 1,500 patients had received laser hair removal for spinal cord injury at one Beijing clinic alone, including roughly 1,000 foreigners.
Furthermore, China has long held a place at the forefront of stem cell research to treat all manner of conditions. A number of China's notable contributions to stem cell research are:
By transferring the nucleus of a human skin cell to the immature ovum cell of a 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 that are of a specialized type that in those days only two other groups worldwide had was able to create.
Harboured several human tissue types, created artificially, including circulatory, tendon, bone, cartilage, skin, cornea and muscle fibre.
Furthermore, Chinese researchers are involved with a myriad of projects to help aid patients through regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy. Here are several projects underway within Chinese institutions:
ChinaSCINet, a consortium of 27 medical facilities, are starting phase 2 many studies to test the efficacy and safety of employing cord blood stem cells and oral lithium to deal with about 40 patients with spinal-cord injuries.
Clinical trials are underway around the use of stem cell therapies to deal with patients of cardiac arrest, 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, also to combat aging.
Success Stories from the Treatment of Spinal-cord Injuries in China
Many people of all ages and with varying levels of injury have received stem cell treatment in China over the last few years. It is important to understand that not every patient will react and more, and that the age of the patient and the severity of the damage 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 underneath the injury site, and 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 the toes of one foot remained as paralyzed) and was even able to walk with crutches.
Razvan Iordache, a Romanian citizen aged 30, travelled to China for several bouts of stem cell treatment following any sort of accident while diving in to a river that left him paralyzed in the neck down. Following his treatments, Razan reported in 2008 that does not only could he now use his arms almost normally, and might feel pain in many 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 Ten minutes and the sensation for 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 using a fall in 2002. He underwent surgery to correct his not enough 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. Pursuing the treatment, which commenced in November 2007, Donald has created significant improvements. He regained sensation throughout the majority 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 simply to walk without tripping. Most important to Donald was which he regained control and strength in his left leg, allowing him to walk significant distances and are a symbol of prolonged periods of time.
There are lots of more success stories from patients that 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 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 enable the body to get back to more regular functionality. However, the work 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 who have spinal cord injuries recover their lost functions. Every month, more and more people are visiting various cities round the country that offer different packages of treatment based on precisely what injury has been inflicted. The level of service has improved greatly lately, and continues to improve each month, meaning that those unfortunate enough to have suffered spinal cord injuries need will no longer feel theirs can be 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, plus a little motivation. The current evidence shows that stem cell therapy for spinal-cord injuries is the answer.
