Autologous Stem Cell Spine Treatment

In the United States alone, there are about 400,000 patients with severe spinal cord injuries, resulting in whole or partial immobilization. About 7,800 new cases occur each year. In China, about 60,000 new cases of severe spinal cord injury occur yearly. In both countries—and around the world—less severe cases of degeneration or damage of the spine and spinal cord number in the millions. Research using autologous stem cells--derived from the patient's own blood or marrow--holds promise for a more curative treatment.

Kinds of Spinal Problems

• The website for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons provides an idea of the number of problems our spines can be subjected to. First, there are fractures of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. Birth defects, accidents and degenerative diseases lead to other chronic conditions, among them osteoporosis, spondylolysis, chordoma, spinal stenosis and herniated discs. In historical orthopedic medicine, each condition calls for a specific treatment, often merely to cope with the disability and alleviate the pain rather than cure the problem.

Rebuilding the Spine

• A sign of the fraility of the human skeletal system.

  The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is researching the possibility of rebuilding an injured spinal cord and the central nervous system. Its research offers hope that spinal cord injuries can be reversed through the regrowing of axons, long nerve cell fibers that carry outgoing messages. One method is transplanting cell grafts into the spinal cord. Using this procedure, NINDS has noted some success with animals in growing axons after stem cell implantation. Researchers recognize, though, that there are still many challenges to meet, including developing the right environment for those stem cells to do their job.

The Promise of Stem Cells

• Recent research studies suggest that using autologous stem cells could do more than alleviate pain. A study by the Beike Biotech company followed the progress of 38 patients who had received their stem cell treatment. After one year, 48 percent reported improvement; that number rose to 58 percent after two years.

  Based in Shenzhen, China, Beike Biotech provides stem cells to other facilities. Its website reported that In 1,400 patients with spinal cord injuries, “a good percentage of patients who have received stem cell transplants feel that the treatment has helped … to improve their qualify of life.” As of 2010, Beike stem cells have been in clinical trials for spine injuries in Argentina, China and Portugal, and trials are just starting up in the United States. The company contends that by 2020, its therapies will be available to the general public.

  In a similar study done by the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, treatments of patients with late state spinal trauma involving autologous bone marrow cells showed "an increase of motor and sensory activity."

Stem Cell Therapy and Rehabilitation

• In the Beike studies, patients differed in the results they got. Some experienced improvements without regression. Some experienced increased strength and coordination. Those who saw the greatest improvement also added rehabilitation after their treatment. But 42 percent of the patients reported that they experienced no benefits.

Clinics Offering Treatments

• The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) tracks clinics offering stem cell research, most of them abroad. Its website gives guidelines for checking out these clinics. First, consult with your doctor, who is a specialist in your case. She may not be encouraging but should help you ask the right questions. Then diligently investigate the clinic you are considering. Find out if it can substantiate its claims. You should be wary of the clinic's promises, for most of these clinics are not funded experimental facilities but for-profit businesses. Make sure to get fees spelled out in writing. Be sure to know what backup plan the clinic has in case of an emergency resulting from its treatment. Also check up on the medical background and experience of the clinic’s staff.