Is Stem Cell Infusion Possible Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries?

 Posted on March 30, 2021 in Personal Injury

Spinal cord injuries are one of the most catastrophic injuries a victim can suffer, significantly impacting their quality of life. The spinal cord is the body’s message center, responsible for sending messages from the victim’s brain to other parts of the body. If there is an injury to the spinal cord, this can stop the messages from being delivered, causing great physical limitations for the victim. Up until recently, there have been limited treatment options for victims. There may be new hope, however, with early research finding that stem cell infusions may help victims regain lost sensation and movement.

The study was conducted by Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn. The researchers took mesenchymal stem cells from the 13 study participants’ own bone marrow and multiplied them in the lab. The stem cells were then intravenously infused back into the participants at approximately 40 days after they had sustained their injuries.

Out of the 13 people participating in the study, 12 of them showed improvement in critical sensory or motor functions within six months after the infusion. More than half of the participants made what researchers classified as “substantial gains” in the use of their hands or walking ability. All improvements of participants were measures using the impairment scale developed by the American Spinal Injury Association.

While this new research is hopeful, the study team points out that it is still too early to know how effective this treatment could be and much more research does need to be done.

Spinal Cord Injury Statistics

Every year, almost 18,000 people in the United States suffer spinal cord injuries. About 80 percent of those victims are male. Currently, there are approximately 300,000 Americans living with spinal cord injuries.

The most common cause of spinal cord injuries is vehicle accidents, which account for almost 40 percent of all cases. Falls are the cause of slightly more than 30 percent of spinal cord injuries, followed by acts of violence (14 percent), sports injuries (8 percent), and medical or surgical injuries (4 percent).

Spinal cord injury victims often face extensive – if not lifelong – medical care. Following the accident that causes the injury, there are usually long hospital stays, surgeries, and rehabilitation. If the victim has been left paralyzed and in a wheelchair, there are modifications that may be needed at their home and the type of vehicle they need to be transported in. Many victims are unable to work at the jobs they had when the accident occurred.

Contact a Larimer County Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer

If the accident that caused a victim’s spinal cord injury was the result of negligence or recklessness of a party or parties, Colorado law allows the victim to pursue damages against that party to recover the financial losses their injuries have caused them to suffer. The legal team at Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. has extensive experience successfully representing accident victims and obtaining the financial compensation they deserve. Call 970-225-2190 to schedule a free consultation with one of our skilled Fort Collins personal injury attorneys and find out how we can help.

Sources:

https://news.yale.edu/2021/02/22/yale-scientists-repair-injured-spinal-cords-using-patients-own-stem-cells

https://www.themiamiproject.org/resources/statistics/