Kori575
De BISAWiki
Stem Cell Strategy for Spinal Cord Injuries: The newest Frontier
Knee Stem Cell Treatment - Spinal cord injuries are injuries that eventually any level of the spinal cord. Although the hard bones from the spinal column protect the soft tissues with the spinal cord, vertebrae can still be broken or dislocated in a variety of ways and cause traumatic problems for the spinal cord. Spinal-cord injuries vary within their severity, but almost inevitably result in various forms of compromised functionality as the spinal cord is in effect the key pathway for information to visit around the human body. Precisely what body functions are impaired through the injury will depend on the region of the spine that's been damaged and the extent to which the spine continues to be affected. Although serious impacts such as falls and car accidents account for many vertebrae injuries, tumors growing near to the column can also damage sensitive nerve tissue and have the same effects.
Knee Stem Cell Treatment - For decades scientists have been attempting to try and find a way to remedy the many ailments that spinal-cord injuries can bring, though limited success. However, lately a pioneering new technologies have emerged that is helping many people around the world regain part, it not exclusively, 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 Treatment - Stem cells are simply in all multi cellular organisms and so are characterized by their ability to distinguish into a diverse range of specialized cells after they divide and renew themselves. They are remarkable for their capacity to regenerate themselves into just about any human cell. Their use in the treatment of various diseases and types of 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, plus instances where the patient has not experienced a complete spinal cord injury, i.e. a whole severing of the spinal cord leading to a loss of function below 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 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 are the nerve cells that the treatment helps to regenerate. The task usually follows three phases in most cases requires no longer than a period of around five weeks in medical treatment for monitoring:
Phase one requires the harvesting of stem cells. 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 to become suitable for clinical use.
Phase two may be the transplantation of the stem cells. This is achieved in one of three ways:
1) Lumbar puncture - a procedure used where stem cells could 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 unwanted effects. The only side effects reported thus far were caused by the lumbar puncture, and never the stem cell treatment itself, with simply 15% of patients reporting mild headaches. In the period 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 it is now a major centre for the stem cell management of many diseases and types of conditions. The Chinese government has poured 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 year 2000 to 1,116 in 2008, exceeded only by the contributions of experts in america, Germany, Japan as well as the UK.
The government in addition has aggressively recruited high-caliber scientists trained abroad in search of its ambition to become a 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 returning to China has contributed significantly to the country's success within the field." The authors were "amazed that almost all the top Chinese researchers within the regenerative medicine field ended up educated in the US as well as the UK and gained extensive working experience there in leading edge research."
Although before treatment in China could have been considered risky due to lax health and safety laws, the past few years have seen an increase in legislation protecting the patient, and improving the functionality of clinics. Since 2009, proof of 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.
Furthermore, China has long held a place at the forefront of stem cell research to take care of all manner of conditions. A number 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 a rabbit, researchers from the 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 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 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 beginning phase 2 clinical trials 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 on the use of stem cell therapies to take care of patients of strokes, 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, 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 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 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 underneath the injury site, and it was unable to control her bowel motions. Within 8 months with the treatment she regained movement in the her legs, could bend her knees (even though 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 several bouts of stem cell treatment following a major accident while diving in to a river that left him paralyzed from your neck down. Following his treatments, Razan reported in 2008 that doesn't only could he now use his arms almost normally, and could feel pain in many 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 minutes and the sensation for urine and stool is more preferable. Generally, my entire body is more powerful than before."
Donald Maricelli, a 54 years old US citizen, suffered a spinal cord injury following a fall in 2002. He underwent surgery to correct his lack of sensation in his lower body, however there have been complications and Donald stayed in a worse state than ever before. Before arriving for treatment in China, he was still being unable to walk unaided. Pursuing the treatment, which commenced in November 2007, Donald has made 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 came back, helping him to walk without tripping. Most significant to Donald was which he regained control and strength as part of his left leg, allowing him simply to walk significant distances and stand for prolonged periods of time.
There are many more success stories from patients who have 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 switches into 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 has shown 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. On a monthly basis, more and more people are going to various cities across the country that offer different packages of treatment according to precisely what injury continues to be inflicted. The level of service has improved greatly recently, and continues to improve each month, meaning that those unfortunate enough to have suffered spinal cord injuries need no longer feel theirs can be a lost cause. There exists a very real chance the standard of living of any patient can be improved with little pain, little hospital time, and a little motivation. The current evidence shows that stem cell therapy for vertebrae injuries is the answer.
