The majority of patients with spinal cord injuries remain permanently disabled. The degree of impairment depends on the lesion of the spine. There are an estimated 250,000 – 400,000 individuals in the United States with spinal cord injuries.
Quadriplegics are faced with motor and sensory loss of both upper and lower extremities, incontinence of urine and stool, and are at an increased risk of respiratory problems that may require the use of a respirator. Paraplegics lose movement in the lower part of the body.
Stem cell research and cell therapy are proving to be an effective treatment in the recovery of patients with neuronal function after spinal cord injuries. Experimentation on animals reveal that after transplanted stem cells grown in the lab are returned to the injury site, neuron recovery improves and restores partial function in paralyzed rodents and primates.
Recently a human pilot study was performed in Portugal. Results showed that transplantation of stem cells was potentially beneficial for patients with traumatic spine injury. The beneficial effects appear to be related to the ability of stem cells to differentiate into neurons, specifically oligodendrocytes (i.e.myelinating glial cells) and astrocytes.
Umbilical cord blood is a rich source of pluripotent stem cells that can be programmed into many cell lines including precursors of oligodendrocytes. These new neural cells derived from human cord blood secrete neurotrophic factors that can aid the repair of myelin and limit the scarring in injured spinal areas.
Cellulogix offers umbilical cord blood stem cell treatment for spinal cord injuries. The cells are injected directly into the spinal canal through a lumbar puncture under sterile conditions. Patients also receive IV and subcutaneous injections.
Cell therapy is combined with a holistic comprehensive approach. The program takes five days to complete and includes lifestyle and diet recommendations, personalized natural supplement prescriptions for neuron support, and light physical therapy exercises.
Post-treatment patients are asked to submit regular neurological examinations, full spinal cord MRI and peripheral EMG, to compare results with the initial assessment and monitor progress.