Non-Embryonic Stem Cell Testimonial from Russia: Spinal Cord Injuries Reversed

LifeSite ^ | December 6, 2004

[NYer]

MOSCOW, December 6, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Russian news agency Novosti reported Monday that Russian scientists have succeeded in treating six individuals bed-ridden with spinal cord damage using non-embryonic stem cells derived from the patient's own nasal tissues. All six are learning to walk again.

Scientists at the Neurology Clinic of Russia's Blokhin Oncology Research Center removed neural stem cells from the lining of the nose, which were then grown in tissue culture. The resulting cells were injected into damaged areas of the spine, re-growing damaged spinal segments one at a time.

"No one has done anything like that before us," Andrei Bryukhovetsky, Director General of the Neurology Clinic said.

Also, when implanted into damaged cardiac muscle after a heart-attack, stem cells can fully restore the muscles of the heart without any scar tissue, according to Vladimir Smirnov, Director of the Experimental Cardiology Institute at the Russian Health Ministry.

[EagleUSA]

...hmmm. Russian snake oil ?? Let's see some scientific PROOF...

[NYer]

A CATHOLIC VOTER’S GUIDE -
THE FIVE NON-NEGOTIABLE ISSUES

3. Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Human embryos are human beings. "Respect for the dignity of the human being excludes all experimental manipulation or exploitation of the human embryo" (CRF 4b).

Recent scientific advances show that often medical treatments that researchers hope to develop from experimentation on embryonic stem cells can be developed by using adult stem cells instead. Adult stem cells can be obtained without doing harm to the adults from whom they come. Thus there is no valid medical argument in favor of using embryonic stem cells. And even if there were benefits to be had from such experiments, they would not justify destroying innocent embryonic humans.


CRF Pontifical Council for the Family, Charter of the Rights of the Family


Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics

Catholic Ping - please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[Red Badger]

If true, this is nothing to sneeze at........

[NYer]

Ping!

[bubbleb]

This is superb news. How sad is it in this nation that the feminists are so concerned about keeping and encouraging their "right" to murder the unborn, that our medical teams did not do this first?

[LizardQueen]

I hope this is true. I have a friend who was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident and has been in a wheelchair for 10 years that I'd love to see get this treatment if it works.

Russia has had some interesting advanced medical techniques come out of it - as I remember Lasik surgery started over there. Hopefully this is another good one.

LQ

[rightwingcrazy]

They must have seen the cloned nose scene in Sleeper.

[Kelly_2000]

How sad is it in this nation that the feminists are so concerned about keeping and encouraging their "right" to murder the unborn, that our medical teams did not do this first?

hey Pro-lifers are not feminists, it is not a gender issue, there are many religious zealots driving that issue.

[bigLusr]

"Scientists ... removed neural stem cells from the lining of the nose"

Next on the Discovery Channel. How one man's boogers helped him walk again.

[Aquinasfan]

I believe they are probably using olfactory ensheathing cells from the olfactory bulb. This has been known for some time but is being kept under wraps since there is a lot of money to be made on this in the US if they can ever get these cells to propagate in bulk. The cells have properties of both the central and peripheral nervous systems which gives them their unique abilities to "assist" axonal regeneration in the CNS.

Sounds like you have more than a layman's understanding of the issue ;-)

Sounds like great news.

[babygene]

Here's More...

We have treated about 15 patients with SCI. The results depend on degree of damage of spinal cord. We got improvement in movement function in 5 cases, significant recovering sensitivity in 8 cases, eliminating spasticity in 9 cases, restoration of bowel and bladder function in 7 cases. Every case has peculiarity. We develop individual transplant strategy for every patient.

There are two approach of treatment:

1. Low invasive method. It includes diagnostic spinal angiography, immunosupression, then regional program perfusion for the purposes of pharmacological preparation of the damaged brain for cellular transplantation, subarachnoid (suboccipital, lumbar) transfusion , embryonal stem neuronal cell transplantation, and transcranial magnetic stimulation.

2. Large neurosurgical operation
• Interlaminectomy(or laminectomy) at the injury level.
• Opening dura muter on injury level.
• Radiculomyelolis.
• In case of presence of myelocysts at this level - emptying them .
• Intraoperational neuromyografical analysis of spinal cord conduction .
• Intramedular Schwann/OGE/neuroglial embryonic cell transplantation.
• Plasty of a solid cerebral membranes. (dura mater)
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation

The cost of treatment depends on your treatment program and conditions of your stay in hospital ( it means what kind of room you suit). So the costs (for treatment) vary from $9000 to $50000. A single room costs about $50 per day, double room - about $150, and VIP suit -about 350 $ per day

In order to decide, if your son can be accounted a candidate for our treatment we ask you to carry out padding researches and to send them to our address:
• MRI (3 Months. or Less) , if its impossible we ask you to send the result of CAT Scan (3 Months. or Less ) , made for damage zone.
• Original X-Ray of spine, performed in 2 projection.
• Analysis of blood serum on neurospecific enolase , glial fibrilar acid protein and antibody to it.
• Your Medical Report
• Neuromyographical analysis of spinal cord conduction

Unfortunately, we haven't published in any foreign magazines.

Professor Bruhovetsky

Contact Information:
bruhovasn@mtu-net.ru
Prof. Bruhovetskiy Andrei Stepanovitch,
tel. Kupavna:527 80 10 post.-443.
assistant-190 72 92-Svetlana

[Ohioan from Florida]

Worth a bump and some pings!

[Ohioan from Florida]

Very interesting information! I would like to see their work get published. Sometimes that doesn't happen even if it should. Hope that this is not one of those situations. Scientists should get credit for the good they are achieving.

[bubbleb]

Sorry, did not make myself clear. Adult stem cells from living tissue is usable. We don't have to find a "good use" for the aborted or lab created embryos (babies). The ones that are pushing using dead babies are the ones that only think of them as harvestible tissue are those that "feel" and promote the feminist agenda.

[mcg1969]

What's funny is that when they get older, their spine is now going to start growing hair.

[babygene]

The problem with adult stem cells is that the treatment must be customized for the patent. The issue never was which (adult of fetal) were the best choice for the patient.

Clearly adult stem cells from the patient circumvent the problem of rejection and that alone makes it a better choice. However, it does not lend it's self to mass production by the drug companies, and therefore is less profitable.

Fetal cells (even though anti rejection drugs would be required for the life of the patient), are more suited to the mass production of pharmaceuticals.

Follow the money...