The spinal cord injury patient cases do not only highlight the life-saving benefits of stem cell treatment, they also provide a boost to the struggle for the acceptance of stem cell therapy as a recognized field in the medical profession.
– Now, Rohan has got the sensational recovery besides having some power in his legs & he can stand holding walker & caliper, giving a small support to his right leg, after undergoing autologous bone marrow stem cell treatment from one of the hospital in Chennai in 2007.
25 year old Rohan, paraplegic since 2005, a resident of Kerala sustained injury in his T10-T11 level vertebra of his back bone and his spinal cord got crushed followed by paralysis of both legs. “As the Spinal cord cells has no ability to regenerate itself back when once crushed. The only and final source to come back to my normal life as of before is Stem cell therapy. So I am looking forward to do one more course of Stem cell therapy.” Rohan says.
“I believe that I can walk independently after my second course of Stem Cell Therapy.” He expressed further.
In second case also, Deepak, 32, a spinal cord patient underwent stem cell therapy in Bangalore, who got C-6 burst fracture in 2005. “I had observed significant improvement with this therapy, finding my life much easier & non-dependent after getting stem cell transplantation” he says.
Today they are hail and hearty, thanks to stem cell transplants performed on them in different cities.
The two cases do not only highlight the life-saving benefits of stem cell treatment, they also provide a boost to the struggle for the acceptance of stem cell therapy as a recognized field in the medical profession.
“Stem cell treatment is at a nascent stage but we need to understand the life-saving potential of such procedures. As stem cell treatment is becoming available at hospitals across the country, we are hopeful that more and more people will come forward in support of the efficacy of stem cell transplants,” said Karan Goel, an entrepreneur and chairman and founder of Stem Cell Voice of India, which is creating awareness about stem cell treatment.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) has emerged as a major public health problem in young persons following Road Traffic Accidents (RTA). It is estimated that in India there are 300000 new cases of Spinal Cord Injury per year.
“Traumatic spinal cord injury leads to immediate ischemic and heamorrhagic response followed by cell loss and cavitation and late fibrosis in the area of injury. As the capacity of CNS to regenerate is very limited, functional recovery is poor”, Karan said. “The neurological sequelae often lead to permanent locomotors impairment, sensory loss, bladder, sexual and autonomic dysfunction”, he informs.
Autologus bone marrow transplant is more feasible and also safer than allogenic transplant as autologous transplant does not require prolonged use immuno suppressant drugs with less less mortality and morbidity and cost (approximately Rs 3-4 lakh per procedure) as compared allogenic transplant (Rs 6-10 lakh).
