Spinal cord injuries occur in many ways, such as a traumatic accident or a hit to the spine that results in a burst fracture of the vertebrae. The damage begins at impact, when displaced bone fragments and torn ligaments bruise or tear spinal tissue. Most spine injuries do not completely sever the spine and cause enough damage to cause fractures that can disable or destroy the axons. As the signal carriers of the human body, axons carry electric signals and act as messengers between the body and the brain. Most spinal injuries usually cause damage to some or all of the axons.
What is an Acute Spinal Cord Injury?
The spinal cord is a thick bundle of nerves that carries signals between the brain and the rest of the body, a structure crucial for functional recovery after spinal cord injury. Acute spine injuries (SCI) usually occur after sudden and traumatic Injury. The SCI can be as minor as a contusion (bruise), a partial tear, or a complete spinal tear (transection). Spinal injuries are also more common in young adults and men.
A traumatic spinal injury can result in an instant loss of movement, touch, and feeling, and a reduction in organ function below the damaged vertebrae. The most common areas of spinal injuries are in the cervical ( neck ) and thoracic spine areas. Spinal injuries are one of the most common causes of permanent disability and death in both children and adults, highlighting the need for effective treatment of spinal cord injury.
The human spine consists of 33 vertebrae in total, including:
- 7 in the cervical spine (neck)
- 12 in the thoracic spine (upper back)
- 5 in the lumbar spine (lower back)
- 5 in the sacral area (these fuse to form the sacrum, which is located in the pelvis area)
- 4 in the coccygeal (the coccyx is also located in the pelvis area)
These 33 vertebrae help form our spine and protect the spinal cord and nerve bundles. Generally speaking, the higher the level of spinal injury, the more severe the patient’s symptoms are. Injuries to the vertebrae do not necessarily indicate damage to the spinal cord, and spinal cord damage can occur without dislocations or fractures, as in patients with spinal inflammation due to transverse myelitis, an inflammatory condition of the spinal cord itself.
1 Year After Stem Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal injuries are usually classified into two main categories:
- Complete Injuries are indicated by a total loss of sensory or motor functions below the point of Injury.
- An incomplete injury is when a person can still relay some messages, albeit in a limited capacity.
Survivors of SCI from sports-related injuries also start suffering from other medical complications, such as chronic pain or bowel and bladder dysfunction, with increased susceptibility to severe brain fog & having heart or respiratory problems. The success of any cellular treatment depends entirely on how well our doctors can manage systemic failures and chronic conditions through targeted regeneration therapy.
Using Stem Cell Therapy for Injured Spinal Cord
Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injuries focuses on the regeneration of Axons between your brain and body that have been severely limited or non-existent after your accident. Our Stem cell transplants for spinal cord injury help patients eliminate pain, regain bladder and bowel function, regain lost sensations, and regenerate visceral motor neurons and adult astrocytes while minimizing other issues such as cramps or depression. Conventional treatments do not address regeneration and focus on pain management, rehab, and the reduction of secondary damage.
The spinal cord and surrounding structures
Two complementary views: the spinal cord within the vertebral column, and a cross-section of the cord.
- Vertebra
- A bone forming part of the vertebral column.
- Intervertebral disc
- The structure between neighboring vertebral bodies.
- Spinal cord
- Nervous tissue within the spinal canal.
- Grey matter
- The central butterfly-shaped region of the cord.
- White matter
- The region surrounding the grey matter.
- Spinal nerve
- A nerve formed where the nerve roots join.
Cell-based treatments take a more proactive approach, boosting the human body’s natural repair cycle by stimulating/enhancing the repair of damaged cells and tissue. Researchers are studying whether cell-based approaches could help restore some lost functions after spinal cord injury, which is a separate problem from bamboo spine, an X-ray sign of ankylosing spondylitis. Some cell turnover and death are a normal part of the body’s response when cells are injured or aged. These dead cells are usually surrounded by healthy and damaged cells, which can influence recovery after spinal cord injury. Our treatment protocol for Sciatica and spinal stenosis is investigational, and researchers are studying whether growth factors and paracrine signaling from transplanted cells could help injured nerve cells survive.
Repairing (SCI) Spinal Cord Injury Damage
The Regen Center offers a unique combination protocol for the treatment of neurological & spinal cord injuries using a targeted multi-step approach. Once our medical team has reviewed the patient’s current medical condition and determined the appropriate course of action, a detailed plan will be provided. If the patient does not have the quality or quantity of enhanced mesenchymal stem cells, cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC+) will be needed to treat spinal cord injury effectively. If required, these cells can be stored using our cryopreservation facility for over 20 years. Research has focused on olfactory ensheathing cells, stem cell differentiation strategies, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factors, and the isolation of neural stem cells for subacute and adult spinal cord repair.
Spinal cord injury recovery with stem cell treatment
Treatments for severe cases with extensive nerve cell atrophy require expanded UC-MSC+ mesenchymal stem cells and nerve cell growth factors, injected near the damaged spinal cord via a CT-guided intraspinal injection device. The UC-MSC+ protocol for paralysis due to spinal cord injury is unique as it is the only treatment in the world that offers supplemental injections with nerve cell-specific growth factors to enhance recovery further using IV drip injections, lumbar punctures, Intrathecal injections, fluoroscopy guided (in a hospital setting only) depending on the severity of the patient’s injuries or if the patient is paralyzed to promote functional recovery following spinal cord injury.
Enhanced UC-MSC+ stem cell injections are an investigational approach in modern regenerative medicine and may not be suitable for every patient, including people with complete spinal cord transection. The precision of cellular guidance allows our team to aim directly at adjacent areas of lesions or Injury. UC-MSC+ enhanced spinal treatment does not require dangerous open spine surgeries. UC-MSC+ stem cell injections and neural progenitor cell infusions also help patients avoid the risks and pain of additional surgeries associated with traditional treatments for the injured spinal cord.[1]
The Regeneration Center Difference
Cell sources and terminology
A guide to the source labels used in the laboratory illustration.
- Adipose tissue
ADSC
- Bone marrow
BM-MSC
- Peripheral blood
PB-MSC
- Placental tissue
P-MSC
- Umbilical cord
UC-MSC
- UC-MSC+
The Regeneration Center’s terminology used in this article.
Our spinal injury treatment center offers investigational cell-based approaches alongside rehabilitation, and like any medical procedure they carry risks. Our treatment protocols are designed to deliver cells near the area of injury, and researchers are studying how cells interact with the blood-brain barrier and affect inflammation and glial cells. Any improvement is uncertain, and researchers are studying whether more recent injuries, such as those less than two years old, may respond better. For those with older injuries, the potential for functional recovery after spinal cord injury may be limited but still possible. traumatic brain injuries, severely degenerative spinal discs, osteonecrosis, peripheral neuropathy, or spinal muscular atrophy, the chances of full recovery become significantly more complicated over time.
Treatment Objective and Expected Outcomes
Promote Neural Regeneration:
- Stimulate the growth and repair of damaged neurons.
- Facilitate the formation of new neural connections.
Enhance Functional Recovery:
- Improve motor and sensory functions.
- Enhanced ability to perform daily activities and tasks.
- Restore voluntary muscle movements and coordination.
- Improved bladder and bowel control.
- Partial or complete restoration of motor and sensory functions below the level of Injury
- Increased mobility, possibly including improved walking ability with or without assistive devices.
The blood-brain barrier
- Endothelial cells
- Form the inner lining of the blood vessel.
- Tight junctions
- Seal the spaces between neighboring endothelial cells.
- Astrocyte
- A supporting cell on the brain side of the vessel.
- Astrocyte end-feet
- Contact the outer surface of the vessel.
Simplified anatomy. No treatment or cell delivery is shown.
Reduce Inflammation and Scar Tissue:
- Minimize secondary damage from inflammation.
- Inhibit the formation of glial scars that impede neural regeneration.
Support for Implanted Cell Survival and Integration:
- Ensure the survival and proper integration of the transplanted stem cells into the host’s spinal cord.
- Careful monitoring for side effects after treatment.
- Sustained functional improvements over time.
- Promote stem cell differentiation into functional neural cells using tissue-specific growth factors and peptides.
Improve Quality of Life:
- Alleviate Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and other symptoms associated with spinal cord injuries.
- Enhance our patients’ overall well-being and independence.
- Increased participation in social, recreational, and vocational activities.
- Greater independence and improved emotional well-being are often reported after successful treatment of spinal cord injury.
- Decrease in neuropathic pain and spasticity associated with spinal cord injuries.
- Enhanced comfort and reduced reliance on pain medications.
Newer tissue, cartilage, or ligament injuries respond much better to stem cell treatments. The recovery after treatment will require a lot of dedication and rehabilitation sessions. Physical improvements occur around 2-3 months after the initial treatment, and the results are permanent, significantly enhancing recovery after spinal cord injury.[2]
Benefits of Neural+ Cells & Neural Progenitor Cells
- Improved blood circulation “Angiogenesis”
- Control bladder and bowel movement
- Slowed muscle atrophy
- Improved Orthostatic Hypotension
- Increase muscle strength
- Regulate skin temperature
- Reduce muscle tension & spastic
- Improved motor functions
- Increased range of motion
- Eliminate chronic cramps & pain
Regions of the spine
- Cervical · C1–C7
- 7 vertebrae in the neck.
- Thoracic · T1–T12
- 12 vertebrae in the upper and middle back.
- Lumbar · L1–L5
- 5 vertebrae in the lower back.
- Sacrum
- 5 fused vertebrae at the pelvis.
- Coccyx
- The tailbone at the base of the column.
Vertebral regions, not spinal cord segments. Schematic anatomy.
Spinal Injury Treatment Risks & Precautions:
- Young adults and children respond much better to Enhanced stem cell treatments. Patients in their early 30s to late 70s also showed improved outcomes after stem cell treatments.
- The level of injury matters: injuries in the cervical (neck) area usually cause more severe and widespread loss of function than injuries lower in the spine.
- People with incomplete injuries generally have more potential for recovery than people with complete injuries.
- Early-stage (6 months to 2 years old) injuries generally have much better outcomes than injuries older than 2 years, which traditionally do not respond as well.[3]
1 Year After Stem Cells for Spine Injury
Cost of Spinal Injury Stem Cell Treatment
Treatment prices and costs at our stem cell treatment center for spinal damage depend on the severity of the Injury and the protocol needed.
The treatment requires an estimated 14-31-day stay in Bangkok, Thailand. To evaluate your suitability for our spinal treatment protocol, we must review recent radiology scans (MRI or CT) and a clinical diagnosis from your primary care physician or a specialist in your home country. Once this information is reviewed, we will provide a complimentary treatment plan with fixed pricing. The final treatment plan will include all associated costs, such as hospital fees, rehabilitation, doctors’ fees, lab work, stem cell collection, and cell expansion. Additionally, we offer short-term apartment options for patients and their families. Residents of Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States may also qualify for medical financing. Please get in touch with us for more details.
To learn more about our combination UC-MSC+ stem cell therapy for acute spinal cord injuries, please contact us.
Published Clinical Citations
[1] ^ Amr, Sherif M, Ashraf Gouda, Wael T Koptan, Ahmad A Galal, Dina Sabry Abdel-Fattah, Laila A Rashed, Hazem M Atta, and Mohammad T Abdel-Aziz. 2013. Bridging defects in chronic spinal cord injury using peripheral nerve grafts combined with a chitosan-laminin scaffold and enhancing regeneration through them by co-transplantation with bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells: case series of 14 patients. The journal of spinal cord medicine, no. 1 (November 26). doi:10.1179/2045772312Y.0000000069. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24090088
[2] ^ Dajpratham, Piyapat, and Racharin Kongkasuwan. 2011. Quality of life among the traumatic spinal cord injured patients. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet, no. 10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22145512
[3] ^ Piltti, Katja M, Desiree L Salazar, Nobuko Uchida, Brian J Cummings, and Aileen J Anderson. 2013. Safety of human neural stem cell transplantation in chronic spinal cord injury. Stem cells translational medicine, no. 12 (November 4). doi:10.5966/sctm.2013-0064. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24191264