Stem Cell Transplantation For Spinal Cord Injury: A Promising Treatment

Spinal cord injury is the most difficult traumatic neurological condition that is caused due to primary injury to the spinal cord. This results in structural damage, including haemorrhage, demyelination, edema, and brain trauma. Cell treatment for spinal cord injury provides neuroprotective effects and neuroregeneration potential.

Types and Symptoms Of Spinal Cord Injury

Symptoms in each individual with spinal cord injury vary according to the area and the severity of the injury.  They are based on the type of injury, such as:

• Complete Injury: There is no movement or sensation below the site of injury
• Incomplete Injury: There is still some movement felt in areas below the point of injury

Symptoms of spinal cord injury also depend on the site that is injured. For instance:

• Injury to the neck (cervical): An individual with cervical injury experience sensory damage, loss of muscle strength in limbs and loss of sensation below the point of injury.
• Injury to the upper spinal cord (thoracic): This results in weak chest muscles and the individual may need a ventilator to breathe.
• Injury to the lower spinal cord (lumbar and sacral): An injury to this site can cause paralysis, loss of function in the lower limbs, loss of bladder and bowel control.

Stem Cells To Treat Spinal Cord Injury 

An injured spinal cord is difficult to repair through traditional managements as they are ineffective. Cell treatment for spinal cord injury involves mesenchymal stem cells sourced from the bone marrow and has the potential to differentiate into various cells, and also adopt the properties of the host cells. When infused into the body, they exert a therapeutic effect by differentiating into neurons to replace the damaged cells. They also secrete neurotrophic factors and prevent the damaging inflammatory response. The main therapeutic effects of stem cells include the astrocytes contribution to the glial scar, provide support and insulation to axons (oligodendrocyte), and repairing or replacing the missing nerve cells in spinal cord injury. These multipotent stem cells also secrete pro-regenerative factors to heal and protect the damaged tissue cells.

Cell treatment for spinal cord injury is done at NeuroGen BSI hospital based in Mumbai. They have treated over 8000 people with stem cells for various neurological disorders for which stem cells are promising applicants. Some of the incurable neurological disorders treated at NeuroGen are:

• Autism
• Stroke
• Dementia
• Head injury
• Muscular dystrophy
• Spinal cord injury
• Motor neuron disease  

The procedure of spinal cord injury cell treatment is safe and simple without having the patient to go under the knife. It just includes the extraction of the marrow from the patient’s hip bone, the separation of the stem cells from the marrow tissue and the final step is the infusion of the new stem cells in the spinal area.

When merged with the cerebrospinal fluid in the spinal area, the stem cells produce cytokines and growth factors that play an important role in promoting tissue regeneration. Based on the characteristics of stem cells, cell therapy is the most promising neuro-regenerative medicine for spinal cord injury.

Treat Damaged Areas of The Spinal Cord With Stem Cell Treatment

Spinal cord damage occurs due to a damage of nervous tissues followed by loss of motor functions. The stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury is gaining popularity. These come from the bone marrow of the patients and umbilical cord tissues of human beings.

Symptoms:

• Losing the ability to feel heat and cold sensation

• Losing mobility

• No control on bowel or bladder motion

• Exaggerated reflex activities or spasms

• Changes in sexual function

• Intense pain caused by the nerve fibers

• Experiencing difficulty breathing or clearing secretion from the lungs

Medical evaluation of damage

A serious injury isn’t always immediately recognized. The time between the injury and treatment is crucial in determining the magnitude of complications. So it is best to see a doctor when a trauma is experienced on his/her head or neck.

Leading causes of injury

The common causes of these kinds of injuries are auto accidents, catastrophic falls, gunshot wounds, diving accidents, motorcycle accidents and unmonitored sports activities.

Impact on healthy cells due to injury

In the case of spinal cord injury, stem cell treatment is becoming increasing well known. From the damaged area some chemical carriers emit out and in the process exerting the immune body cells to the injured area. Chances of inflammation rise as it directly affects the healthy cells. If a person receives medical attention within a period of six months before the occurrence of any symptom, then chances of inflammation are reduced.

Stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury

This sort of therapy helps neuroprotection and neuroregeneration to form fresh synapses. It also leads to repair and renewal process of new neurons which transmits electrochemical impulses. The advancement of stem cell therapy has given some hope to these kinds of patients. At NeuroGen BSI many patients who have received stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury, have shown some improvement in regaining balance and bladder movements.

Other options

Treatment options like surgery are available to improve the condition of patients. But they need to go for rehabilitation sessions because the pain might not diminish even after surgery. With assisted devices, they can carry on their routine activities. With regular physiotherapy and counselling sessions, the patient's dream of returning to a somewhat normal life.

Get Stem Cell Treatment For Spinal Cord Injury At Neurogen Brain & Spine Institute

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is an incurable and chronic damage to the spinal cord that results in various alterations in the function of the spinal cord, either temporary or permanent. Such changes caused by SCI often translate into the loss of muscle functionality, auto sensation and function in other parts of the body that depend on the spinal cord.

The severity of the injuries to the nerve fibers cannot be judged only as a simple injury at that particular point of nerve. In the majority of cases, this type of damage can trigger a number of other clinical occurrences. As it is a critical disorder, complicated surgeries and medicines are involved but without much success. Here, Stem Cell Treatment can be highly helpful to treat such types of diseases. In India, a number of renowned medical institutes and clinics have been providing stem cell treatment for spinal cord injury, and NeuroGen Brain & Spine Institute is a leading healthcare institute in this regard.
 

1. NeuroGen Brain & Spine Institute is a clinically committed organization whose utmost priority is to help people in achieving optimum health and better quality of life. Patients can achieve this by reaping advantages of their own stem cells, especially those who are suffering from neurological issues like spinal cord injury.
 

2. NeuroGen Brain & Spine Institute provides access to stem cell therapy for individuals suffering from incurable, inflammatory and degenerative neurological disorders like the spinal cord, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism, muscular dystrophy, injury, stroke and so on.
 

3. NeuroGen Brain & Spine Institute defines the real quality of healthcare as the total experience that all patients at the center experiences from their very first contact with the experts to the last stage of follow-up. At NeuroGen Brain & Spine Institute, doctors know how a small crack in the spinal cord can affect your overall quality of life and hence they always strive to provide the best stem cell treatment for Spinal Cord Injury.
 

4. Doctors at NGBSI follow three basic approaches for applying stem cell therapies on patients, and these approaches include stem cell therapy, Neuro-Rehabilitation and some other medical and surgical treatments. The stem cell therapy is the main line of treatment that is then followed by certain medications and rehabilitation therapies.

The comprehensive stem cell treatments provided by the experts of NeuroGen Brain & Spine Institute are based on the state-of-the-art technologies, expertise, clinical advancements, and years of knowledge, so that patients lead a happy and healthy life for years to come.

Know Everything About The Ethics of Stem Cell Research & Therapy

When there is no treatment available for mental conditions, stem cell research & therapy is proven to be effective. A wide range of diseases and disorders are treated at NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute with the new avenues of stem cells.

Current practices of stem cell research & therapy are exaggerated by those who don’t understand the limitations and the science of endless options to derive stem cells. Usage of embryonic stem cells falls in the restrictive category and doctors at NGBSI strongly adhere to the Helsinki declaration and facilitate the available options to offer finest stem cell therapy.

Misconceptions about stem cell research & therapy

On one hand, where regenerative medicines and stem cells are helping thousands of patients suffering from incurable neurological disorders and injury, there is a group of agitated people who address the concerns about the ethics of stem cell therapy. 

 

Most common misconceptions are:
 

1. Embryonic stem cells are derived from abortion: 

 

The lines of stem cells derived from an embryo are donated by couples who undergo the IVF procedure. The blastocysts formed during the cycle of IVF are frozen and donated by the couples for stem cell research. Thus, it’s completely ethical.
 

2. Stem cell Treatments are not safe: 

 

Apart from the posed social and ethical, concerns people have a misconception about its efficacy. Across the medical community, the stem cell therapy of grafting and implanting tissues is accepted as safe for a wide number of neurological disorders and certain diseases with no potential treatment.

 

3. Your own cells are not safe to create a stem cell line: 

 

Autologous stem cell treatments are equally safe and effective because clinical trials and studies have suggested that immune system would not attack the cells of the same person when used for an implant.

Absolutely ethical stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury

Doctors at NGBSI are well versed with the ethical basis of utilizing stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury. To improve the growth of the prevailing tissues adult stem cells are utilized and both complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries are treated. Clinical symptoms will be improved and options of conventional treatments and rehabilitation many patients can carry on with their normal activities within a shorter period of time.

Patients who have lost hope for recovering from incurable diseases and disorders should try stem cell treatment. Stem cell treatment is effective in spinal cord injury, autism, cerebral palsy, and varied order progressive disorders and neuro-developmental disorders. The approach is absolutely safe and ethical and should not be addressed with misconceptions.

Know About The Medical Uses of Stem Cells

Stem cells are the basic pool of cells from which all other kinds of cells are formed. Stem cells possess self-renewal and differentiation capability. They can multiply endlessly to produce their replica. They can also differentiate to form the more specialized kinds of cells, like neural or the blood vessels.

Stem cell therapy is used today for treating various neurological disorders. These cells are also being researched upon to treat other health conditions and fatal diseases as well. Bone marrow derived stem cells are the most widely used ones for therapeutic purposes. The umbilical cord stem cells are also used. Here are some of the medical uses of the stem cells.

Neuro-degenerative diseases

Stem cells, including their counterpart progenitor cells, offer Neuro-protective benefits. The cells also help in behavioral recovery, when transplanted into the body of patients affected by neurological diseases including Alzheimers, Parkinson’s, Cerebral Palsy and others.

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury

An injury to the spinal cord or brain or other allied conditions like stroke causes the death of neurons and other cells of the CNS like oligodendrocytes. Stem cell therapy replenishes the pool of lost cells. The cells also release certain growth factors that enable neural regeneration. Stem cell treatment for spinal cord injury is no less a miracle. Bedridden patients are able to walk and can assume their normal life functions again, post therapy.

Muscular Diseases

Some muscular diseases like MD or muscular dystrophy have genetic origins. Stem cells can help in restoring of normal muscle functions. For instance, muscular dystrophy stem cell treatment provides for restoration of oxygen supply to the damaged muscle tissues, secretion of cytokines or growth factors, delivery of the functional proteins and other benefits.

Blood Cell Formation

The immune system of the body can suffer from degradation that can be fatal. The mature RBCs or red blood cells are created and generated in-vitro in the form of HSCs or hematopoietic blood cells that are the precursors of the RBCs. The addition of the growth factor by the name erythropoietin help forming healthy RBCs. Stem cell transplantation can hence replenish the pool of RBCs and blood cells in the affected individuals.

Apart from these diseases, stem cells are also being researched upon for treating hair loss, tooth loss, AIDS, cancer, infertility and other health conditions. NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute (located in Mumbai, India) provides stem cell treatment for spinal cord injury, and a range of other neurological and muscular diseases.