ID :
64540
Sat, 06/06/2009 - 22:23
Auther :

India`s first stemcell transplant for traumatic brain injury

Bangalore, June 6 (PTI) A 27-year old woman, suffering
from severe disability for the past one year following an
accident, has succesfully underwent brain stemcell transplant
surgery, the first such case in India, doctors at a
superspeciality hospital claimed Saturday here in the capital
of southern state of Karnataka.

A team of neurosurgeons led by Dr N K Venkataramana,
Chief Neurosurgeon and Vice-Chairman, BGS Global Hospitals,
carried out the complex surgery on Madhu Mallika who sustained
the severe brain injury in an accident last year.

"The patient was suffering from altered sensorium, severe
cognitive dysfunction and lack of movement in limbs. Following
the surgery, she has now regained full consciousness, memory,
communication abilities and purposive movements in limbs,"
Venkataramana told reporters here.

The patient was admitted in an unconscious state with
severe injury and on first examination doctors gave her only
20 per cent chances for survival, he claimed.

"It was perplexing that the woman did not show any
improvement despite all available treatment in the last one
year and ultimately the possibility of stemcell therapy was
considered after discussions with her family and it proved
successful," Chief Neurosurgeon said.

"This is an eye opener that there is a possibility of
reactivating brain cells following injury with very gratifying
clinical results. To our knowledge such attempts were made
only in China. This is the first attempt in the country and
India is the second country in the world to use such therapy,"
he said.

However, a lot more need to be understood about stemcell
therapy in head injuries including the time of intervention
and quantity of cells to be used depending upon the injury,
Venkataramana said, adding, a pilot study would be conducted
at BGS Global Hospitals for the purpose.

For nearly five years, the hospital has been involved in
stemcell therapy for neurodegenerative disorders and spinal
cord injury and over the years it has established safety
standards for stemcell transplants in the brain.

Dr Satish Totey, Chief Scientific Officer, Stempeutics
Research Pvt Ltd, where the stemcells were prepared, said they
were looking at bringing out stemcells as a "product" by 2011.

Mallika, who underwent the surgery wherein bone marrow
derived mesenchymal stemcells were transplanted on both sides
of her brain on March 18 last, was discharged on April 3.

"At the time of discharge, she was on PEG feeding,
urinary catheter, no useful limb movements and no verbal
response. It is only a month after the transplantation that
she started showing rapid improvement in her brain functions,"
Venkataramana said.

She became conscious, started verbalising and was able to
communicate with her parents, able to recognise family and
friends and started moving her hands and legs purposefully.

Her memory had recovered completely, eye movements were
full and vision was normal. She was undergoing physiotherapy
as she had developed severe stiffness in joints due to
prolonged stay in bed, he said.

"It may take her a couple of months to be more active,"
Venkataramana said, claiming the hospital charged only for the
stemcells which cost nearly Rs 75,000. PTI

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