4-2-15
http://www.wndu.com/home/headlines/Stem-cell-procedures-for-paralysis-patients-298500801.html
According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, nearly one in 50 people are living with paralysis.
Until now, there wasn't much hope.
But, a new study involving stem cells has doctors and patients excited.
Two years ago, Brenda Guerra's life changed forever.
"They told me that I went into a ditch and was ejected out of the vehicle," says Brenda.
The accident left the 26-year-old paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair.
"I don't feel any of my lower body at all," says Brenda.
Brenda has traveled from Kansas to UC San Diego to be the first patient to participate in a ground-breaking safety trial, testing stem cells for paralysis.
"We are directly injecting the stem cells into the spine," says Dr. Joseph Ciacci, a neurosurgeon at UC San Diego.
The stem cells come from fetal spinal cords. The idea is when they're transplanted they will develop into new neurons and bridge the gap created by the injury by replacing severed or lost nerve connections. They did that in animals and doctors are hoping for similar results in humans. The ultimate goal: to help people like Brenda walk again.
"The ability to walk is obviously a big deal not only in quality of life issues, but it also affects your survival long-term,” says Dr. Ciacci.
Brenda received her injection and will be followed for five long years. She knows it's only a safety trial but she's hoping for the best.
"I hope to get up and walk again,” says Brenda. “Any little change, any little hope, is enough for all of us."
This is the first study to inject neural stem cells into people with complete thoracic spinal cord injuries.
Participants must have had their injury occur one to two years ago and have to have feeling in their upper bodies.
Researchers will enroll four patients in the safety trial, and then they hope to move on to a larger phase of the study.
BACKGROUND: There are more than 250,000 Americans living with spinal cord injuries right now. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that carries signals between the brain and the rest of the body. When the spinal cord is damaged due to trauma, such as a car accident, the effects can be severely debilitating. The injury is most often caused by a fracture or dislocation to the vertebrae, the bones that encase the nerves of the spinal cord. There are two types of spinal cord injuries: complete or incomplete. Complete spinal cord injuries occur when the cord can't send signals to areas of the body below the injury site. The effect of this is paralysis below the affected area. With an incomplete injury, the cord is still able to send some signals below the injury site. People with an incomplete injury are able to feel some sensation below the injury site. Symptoms of a spinal cord injury include extreme pain in the back or neck, loss of movement, loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the hands or feet, and exaggerated reflexes.
(Source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spinalcordinjuries.html, http://www.brainandspinalcord.org/spinal-cord-injury/statistics.htm, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spinal-cord-injury/basics/symptoms/con-20023837 )
TREATMENT: Right now, spinal cord injuries are irreversible, so treatment focuses on preventing more damage and helping the patient regain independence. Giving methylprednisolone to patients within eight hours of the injury can help with inflammation and reduces damage at the injury site. Surgery may also to stabilize the spinal cord and remove bone fragments. After the initial injury has stabilized, the patient will undergo rehabilitation to strengthen existing muscle function and redevelop motor skills.
(Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spinal-cord-injury/basics/treatment/con-20023837 )
NEW TECHNOLOGY: Researchers at UC San Diego are challenging the idea that spinal cord injury is irreversible. The first in-human clinical trials are underway to see if stem cells can treat the injuries. "The theory behind it is the stem cells will provide cells that will differentiate into the types of cells that can bridge the gaps that are created by an injury," said Joseph Ciacci, MD, Neurosurgeon at UC San Diego. Dr. Ciacci is a neurosurgeon working on the project. Doctors have seen improvements in animals using the same method. The safety trial will follow four patients for five years after the first injection, but Ciacci says the study could move out of safety trials in as soon as a year.
(Source: http://health.universityofcalifornia.edu/2014/10/20/stem-cell-science-takes-bold-step-at-uc-san-diego/, Joseph Ciacci, MD, UC San Diego)
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Jacqueline Carr
Director of Communications and Media Relations
619-543-6427
jcarr@ucsd.edu
http://www.wndu.com/home/headlines/Stem-cell-procedures-for-paralysis-patients-298500801.html
According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, nearly one in 50 people are living with paralysis.
Until now, there wasn't much hope.
But, a new study involving stem cells has doctors and patients excited.
Two years ago, Brenda Guerra's life changed forever.
"They told me that I went into a ditch and was ejected out of the vehicle," says Brenda.
The accident left the 26-year-old paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair.
"I don't feel any of my lower body at all," says Brenda.
Brenda has traveled from Kansas to UC San Diego to be the first patient to participate in a ground-breaking safety trial, testing stem cells for paralysis.
"We are directly injecting the stem cells into the spine," says Dr. Joseph Ciacci, a neurosurgeon at UC San Diego.
The stem cells come from fetal spinal cords. The idea is when they're transplanted they will develop into new neurons and bridge the gap created by the injury by replacing severed or lost nerve connections. They did that in animals and doctors are hoping for similar results in humans. The ultimate goal: to help people like Brenda walk again.
"The ability to walk is obviously a big deal not only in quality of life issues, but it also affects your survival long-term,” says Dr. Ciacci.
Brenda received her injection and will be followed for five long years. She knows it's only a safety trial but she's hoping for the best.
"I hope to get up and walk again,” says Brenda. “Any little change, any little hope, is enough for all of us."
This is the first study to inject neural stem cells into people with complete thoracic spinal cord injuries.
Participants must have had their injury occur one to two years ago and have to have feeling in their upper bodies.
Researchers will enroll four patients in the safety trial, and then they hope to move on to a larger phase of the study.
BACKGROUND: There are more than 250,000 Americans living with spinal cord injuries right now. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that carries signals between the brain and the rest of the body. When the spinal cord is damaged due to trauma, such as a car accident, the effects can be severely debilitating. The injury is most often caused by a fracture or dislocation to the vertebrae, the bones that encase the nerves of the spinal cord. There are two types of spinal cord injuries: complete or incomplete. Complete spinal cord injuries occur when the cord can't send signals to areas of the body below the injury site. The effect of this is paralysis below the affected area. With an incomplete injury, the cord is still able to send some signals below the injury site. People with an incomplete injury are able to feel some sensation below the injury site. Symptoms of a spinal cord injury include extreme pain in the back or neck, loss of movement, loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the hands or feet, and exaggerated reflexes.
(Source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spinalcordinjuries.html, http://www.brainandspinalcord.org/spinal-cord-injury/statistics.htm, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spinal-cord-injury/basics/symptoms/con-20023837 )
TREATMENT: Right now, spinal cord injuries are irreversible, so treatment focuses on preventing more damage and helping the patient regain independence. Giving methylprednisolone to patients within eight hours of the injury can help with inflammation and reduces damage at the injury site. Surgery may also to stabilize the spinal cord and remove bone fragments. After the initial injury has stabilized, the patient will undergo rehabilitation to strengthen existing muscle function and redevelop motor skills.
(Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spinal-cord-injury/basics/treatment/con-20023837 )
NEW TECHNOLOGY: Researchers at UC San Diego are challenging the idea that spinal cord injury is irreversible. The first in-human clinical trials are underway to see if stem cells can treat the injuries. "The theory behind it is the stem cells will provide cells that will differentiate into the types of cells that can bridge the gaps that are created by an injury," said Joseph Ciacci, MD, Neurosurgeon at UC San Diego. Dr. Ciacci is a neurosurgeon working on the project. Doctors have seen improvements in animals using the same method. The safety trial will follow four patients for five years after the first injection, but Ciacci says the study could move out of safety trials in as soon as a year.
(Source: http://health.universityofcalifornia.edu/2014/10/20/stem-cell-science-takes-bold-step-at-uc-san-diego/, Joseph Ciacci, MD, UC San Diego)
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Jacqueline Carr
Director of Communications and Media Relations
619-543-6427
jcarr@ucsd.edu