Spinal cord surgery for the implantation of stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood or olfactory mucosa has been performed and announced in a some countries, including Holland, Korea and Portugal. The latest article relates a story, about an 18 year-old former volleyball player from Illinois (paralyzed for 2 years from the waist down after a car accident) who went to Portugal for 12 days to have this procedure, in a fair amount of detail.
The procedure took place at a hospital called Hospital de Egas Moniz and the patient was operated on by a Portuguese neurologist, Dr. Carlos Lima. The surgery is still experimental and involved the removal of tissue from the olfactory bulb, which is thought to contain stem cells that will promote the formation of nerve cells and new neuron connections. The tissue was then inserted into the 4 centimeter damaged area of the patient's spinal cord.
The artice states:"All of Lima's approximately 80 patients - half of them Americans - who have undergone the surgery in Portugal since summer 2002 have reported some gains in sensation, and about 5 percent say they have better feeling in their bladders and bowels, Hinderer said." But according to a Dec 4 report by the Detroit Free Press, It has been noted that most patients do not see any substantial gains until 6 months post surgery.
Additionally, another website states (scroll half way down):"All of the patients recovered well from the surgery. Olfaction returned to normal by three months after the surgery. All of the patients showed improvements. One of the patients regained bladder control at fifteen months after the surgery. Regaining bladder control is extremely important to patients with spinal cord injury. All but one of the patients gained feeling in some areas of their body where they previously had no feeling. All of the patients gained the ability to move certain muscles that they could not move before the olfactory mucosa treatment."
After the operation, the patient had to undergo intensive rehabilitation program for two and a half weeks at a not for profit rehab institute operated by Dr. Steven Hinderer in Michigan. According to Dr. Hinderer, the aggressive excercises, which include crawling and walking with the help of braces for three hours each day, was to frequently stimulate for reorganizing and adapting the body to the changes that take place within.
Critics say the surgery/rehab combination is a waste of money (USD 44,000 for the surgery, USD 10,000 for the rehab, USD 10,000 for the leg brace and USD 5,000 for the work out equipment, total USD 69K) , but neither the patient nor her mother regret the pain or effort connected with the surgery. They believe that the surgery has helped the patient restore feelings in the hips and some sensation in her legs.
"Without the surgery, Jacki probably wouldn't regain any sensation," Her mother said. "There's lots of stuff going on, I'm sure she has more than she had before she went to Portugal." Although spinal cord repair with stem cells is in its experimental stages, this patient who has many years ahead of her is brave enough to accept the risks and at least show that thus far, it hasn't caused her any harm. We'll just have to wait and see if it helps her regain significant control of her muscles. Keep an open mind and support those who wish to improve their lives and help others in similar situations.
Jacki Rabon has written about her experience in Portugal, Detroit and Waverly in an online journal .
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