Breakthrough Procedure Offers Cure For Paralysis

Incredible work these guys are doing.

A man who was completely paralysed from the waist down can walk again after a British-funded surgical breakthrough which offers hope to millions of people who are disabled by spinal cord injuries.

Polish surgeons used nerve-supporting cells from the nose of Darek Fidyka, a Bulgarian man who was injured four years ago, to provide pathways along which the broken tissue was able to grow.

The 38-year-old, who is believed to be the first person in the world to recover from complete severing of the spinal nerves, can now walk with a frame and has been able to resume an independent life, even to the extent of driving a car, while sensation has returned to his lower limbs.

The surgery was performed by a Polish team led by one of the world’s top spinal repair experts, Dr Pawel Tabakow, from Wroclaw Medical University, and involved transplanting olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) from the nose to the spinal cord.

OECs assist the repair of damaged nerves that transmit smell messages by opening up pathways for them to the olfactory bulbs in the forebrain.

Relocated to the spinal cord, they appear to enable the ends of severed nerve fibres to grow and join together – something that was previously thought to be impossible.

The NSIF’s founder, David Nicholls, whose son Daniel was paralysed in 2003, said information relating to the breakthrough will be made available to other researchers around the world to help cure paralysis.

Raisman said he had never believed the “observed wisdom” that the central nervous system cannot regenerate damaged connections.

He added: “Nerve fibres are trying to regenerate all the time. But there are two problems – crash barriers, which are scars, and a great big hole in the road.

“In order for the nerve fibres to express that ability they’ve always had to repair themselves, first the scar has to be opened up, and then you have to provide a channel that will lead them where they need to go.”

Paralysed man Derek Fidyka walks again after pioneering surgery

Paralyzed man walks again after cell transplant

originally posted by: Musing
Incredible work these guys are doing.

A man who was completely paralysed from the waist down can walk again after a British-funded surgical breakthrough which offers hope to millions of people who are disabled by spinal cord injuries.

Polish surgeons used nerve-supporting cells from the nose of Darek Fidyka, a Bulgarian man who was injured four years ago, to provide pathways along which the broken tissue was able to grow.

The 38-year-old, who is believed to be the first person in the world to recover from complete severing of the spinal nerves, can now walk with a frame and has been able to resume an independent life, even to the extent of driving a car, while sensation has returned to his lower limbs.

The surgery was performed by a Polish team led by one of the world’s top spinal repair experts, Dr Pawel Tabakow, from Wroclaw Medical University, and involved transplanting olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) from the nose to the spinal cord.

OECs assist the repair of damaged nerves that transmit smell messages by opening up pathways for them to the olfactory bulbs in the forebrain.

Relocated to the spinal cord, they appear to enable the ends of severed nerve fibres to grow and join together – something that was previously thought to be impossible.

The NSIF’s founder, David Nicholls, whose son Daniel was paralysed in 2003, said information relating to the breakthrough will be made available to other researchers around the world to help cure paralysis.

Raisman said he had never believed the “observed wisdom” that the central nervous system cannot regenerate damaged connections.

He added: “Nerve fibres are trying to regenerate all the time. But there are two problems – crash barriers, which are scars, and a great big hole in the road.

“In order for the nerve fibres to express that ability they’ve always had to repair themselves, first the scar has to be opened up, and then you have to provide a channel that will lead them where they need to go.”

Paralysed man Derek Fidyka walks again after pioneering surgery

Paralyzed man walks again after cell transplant

frigging amazing bet superman wishes he was still in this dimension. Thanks for sharing.

a reply to: Cloudbuster

I thought about Christopher Reeve myself when I stumbled upon this.

a reply to: Musing

Holy crap... S&F.
Thanks

Wonderful and amazing. I have worked as a caregiver for people who suffer paralysis. It's not just the ability to walk that is an issue. There are so many small and large humiliations and frustrations that have to be dealt with when one can't do for themselves. Dependence is a hard thing for people to accept.

This will be so world changing once it is widely available.

a reply to: Musing

Hopefully this goes from being a first time medical breakthrough to being as common as getting your tonsils out . Early days but lets hope .

it's a miracle!
oh no wait. it's science.
thank you to the people hard at work giving life back to others.

a reply to: IShotMyLastMuse

Totally agree .

When you want sh#t done, you turn to science, not feel-good pseudo-science.

Awesome news! Although I am not paralyzed, I have spinal cord and spine issues, with tremendous pain. What a great breakthrough, and hopefully this will open up other areas for research.

this is great news for my wife

thank you for sharing this great news

*This report contains scenes of surgery*