Autologous Stem Cells (Peripheral or Bone Marrow)

In my first contribution to the blog I would like to give you some information I have gathered from new research studies around the world on Autologous Stem Cells collected either from the Bone Marrow via a bone marrow aspiration or from the Peripheral Blood after stimulation with G-CSF and the effects of those cells in treating conditions that in the past were considered UNTREATABLE!

SPINAL CORD INJURY
In a recent article of Prof. Eva Sykova from the Czech Republic entitled "Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation in Patients With Subacute and Chronic Spinal Cord Injury" in Cell Transplantation, Vol. 15, pp. 1–13, 2006 very interesting results were shown. The research team split the patient group (20 patients) in 2 subgroups according to the duration of the spinal cord injury (7 with subacute: 10-30 days and c13 with hronic: 2-17 months) and compared the results of injecting the patients own bone marrow stem cells either intra-arterially (in the artery supplying the injured area) or intravenously (in the peripheral vein). Improvement in motor (movement) and/or sensory (feeling) functions was observed within 3 months in 5 of 6 patients with intra-arterial application, in 5 of 7 acute, and in 1 of 13 chronic patients. This case study showed that the implantation of autologous bone marrow cells appears to be safe, as there have been no complications following implantation to date (11 patients followed up for more than 2 years). The outcomes following transplantation in acute patients, and in one chronic patient who was in stable condition for several months prior to cell implantation, are indeed promising. Further studies are necessary to confirm those results and to evaluate how to administer the stem cells. It seems that administering the cells closer to the injury site, such as through the catheterization of a. vertebralis, or into the cerebrospinal fluid, or even intraspinally at the lesion border, might be important for a better outcome.

Indeed very promising results and we at THAI StemLife can report the preliminary outcome of one patient in Thailand that in August 2007 received autologous (his own) PBSC that his treating neurosurgeon injected in the spinal canal during open spinal surgery. This patient was involved in an accident 2 years ago, was in a stable condition and could not move or feel anything from neck and below but 2 months after the Stem Cell injection he can move his right arm! Follow up injections are planned by the treating physician and we will be reporting the progress here!