World Stroke Day: Everything you should know about stem cell therapy for stroke

Way too early for using stem cells for stroke. Nothing has been proven yet.

The problems that can occur:

Donor-derived brain tumor following neural stem cell transplantation in an ataxia telangiectasia patient.

 

He went abroad for stem cell treatment. Now he’s a cautionary tale. Stroke patient Jim Gass

http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/world-stroke-day-stem-cell-therapy-for-stroke-b1016/

Stem cell therapy for stroke -- here's what Dr Pradeep Mahajan has to say.

A stroke is an event which takes place when there is a bleeding in the brain, spinal cord or nervous system, thereby damaging the area. It could be due to a clot that obstructs the blood supply to a particular area, thereby damaging a specific area. While there are many treatment approaches used to deal with it like physiotherapy and medications, the rate of improvement in overall living is only 5 – 15%. Moreover, unlike the conventional methods, steam cell therapy does not cause any adverse side effects and can show up to 100% improvement in a patient’s condition*. Our expert Dr Pradeep Mahajan, Neurogenerative medicine researcher, cell-based therapy, consultant neurosurgeon, Stemrx Hospital sheds light on some aspects related to steam cell-based therapy for stroke.
How is it done?

The stem cells present in the bone marrow are surgically removed and injected into the damaged area of the brain. As the process uses one’s own stem cells, breathing and living entities, which can be transformed into any specific area as these cells communicate with surrounding and turn into viable cells of that particular region. For example, if stem cells are placed in the brain, these cells acquire function of the brain cells, placed in the bone, become bone cells and so on. Known as living drugs, stem cells can help improve the overall function of the brain, which is affected due to stroke. Here are lifestyle tips to prevent stroke.
Who can undergo the treatment?
Anyone suffering from a stroke can undergo this treatment approach, and there are no specific criteria. However, it is advised that a person suffering from a stroke can undergo the therapy two weeks after an attack.
Is it common in India? What is the success rate?
The cellular therapy for stroke is not very common in India. However, people undergoing the treatment have shown a significant improvement in performing the activities of daily living, without being dependant on others. There are few hospitals in India where the therapy is done. As far as the cost is involved, it is less than that needed to undergo an organ transplant. The key is to consult a right expert, stem cell-based therapist to undergo the therapy.
*A person can show 100% improvement in the condition following the therapy. However, the success rate various based on various factors like

• The type of the stroke
• The duration of the stroke
• The location of stroke
• The age of the patient

Hence, the treatment approach involves a personalised and customised approach to deal with the condition. The initial treatment lasts for around 6 – 8 weeks and depending on how the person is responding and the improvement in the condition, adjustment in the treatment protocol is made by the experts.
Are there any contraindications?
Although the therapy is known to be comparatively safe, just like any other treatments, it also has some complications. However, the main ones include bleeding disorders and risk of infections. Hence, it is important o control risk factors like blood pressure, diabetes, abdominal fat and infection to improve the recovery and lower the risk of complications post therapy.
What about the after-care approach?
After the therapy, there are many things that the patient should consider. These include
It is important to undergo rehabilitation after the therapy as it helps in improving cognitive and physical function.
Also, one should be aware of the exact cause of stroke and make sure that it is taken care of. This is because there is a high chance that it might put you at risk of stroke again.
The patient can resume their day-to-day activities from day one after the therapy. It is important to be mobile and start things slowly.
Make sure that the person undergoes clinical evaluation from time to time as recommended by a doctor as it helps in knowing any key difficulty before hand and treat accordingly.
The risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease should be taken care of as it can up the risk of a second stroke attack. Read more on how diabetes is linked with stroke.
Tests like MRI/CT scan and neurological and muscular assessment are required to be done as it helps in keeping a tab on the recovery process.
Image Source: Shutterstock

Published: October 28, 2016 12:02 pm

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