It is projected that spinal muscular atrophy affects one in 7000 babies born and that about one in 50 individuals are hereditary carriers of the disease. SMA is an autosomal recessive genetic malady which means that maximum cases of SMA can be attributed to getting substandard genes from both parents. It is believed that if both parents are carriers of this hereditary disorder to chance of the child developing this illness is 25%. Potential parents can use genetic testing to see if they are carriers of this gene though PGD pre-implementation genetic diagnosis testing that is available in maximum nations around the world. There are 4 kinds and classifications of SMA disease
- SMA type I which is the most severe type is also acknowledged as Werdnig-Hoffman disease.
- SMA type II is less severe than type I asked patients normally infants do not show symptoms of SMA during early embryonic stage however over time they become weaker and weaker.
- SMA type III is less severe form and normally starts in early adulthood and gradually gets worse as the patient’s age.
- SMA type IV is the least severe category of the disease where weakness and muscle wasting usually begin in adulthood.
Because of its genetic nature, there is no perpetual cure for this disease. Neural stem cell transplants and gene therapy are presently the most effective treatment options for control and remission of spinal-muscular atrophy.
Do you know about Spinal Muscular Atrophy?
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a category of developmental diseases in which a person’s muscles lose function due to nerve cell damage in the spinal cord and brain stem. It is a form of motor neuron disease and a neurological disorder.
Muscle wasting and fatigue are symptoms of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Standing, walking, controlling head movements, and, in some situations, breathing and swallowing may be problematic for those with SMA. SMA affects some people from birth, while others develop later in life. Some varieties have an effect on life expectancy.
According to Genetics Home Reference, SMA affects one out of every 8,000–10,000 individuals on the planet.
SMA has no cure, but new medications like nusinersen (Spinraza) and onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi (Zolgensma) can help delay the disease’s progression.
It is Genetic issue. It is a twofold passive autosomal disorder (5q-SMA) It is brought about by transformations in the SMN1 (endurance engine neuron) quality that is found on chromosome 5 (thus the name 5q). To create SMA, an individual must acquire two defective SMN1 qualities, one from each parent
Muscle weakness in the legs and shoulder muscles are the leading signs of the disease. Weakness and muscle atrophy get considerably worse over time and can ultimately result in complete paralysis and death. Patients with SMA also have substantial difficulty with physical activities such as walking, crawling and eye coordination, neck and hand control and dysphagia (trouble swallowing). Patients with SMA also have ominously higher risk for developing breathing problems because of the respiratory muscles in the lungs failing. Other symptoms include:
- Muscle atrophy
- Muscle weakness
- Areflexia
- Trouble Breathing
- Thin muscle mass
- Trouble eating or swallowing
- Deficiency of head and neck control
- Involuntary facial twitching
- Atrophic muscle changes
- Muscle trembling
- Sensory neuropathies
- Trouble sitting up or walking or crawling (infants )
- Thin muscle mass
- Missing tendon reflexes
- Fasciculations
- Clubfoot
- Impotency,ED and/or reduction in sexual potency
Testing or diagnosis SMA can be implemented before, during or even after pregnancy. Please note we do note a diagnosis from a neurologist in your home nation is required for all prospective patients. The first 2 options are preventative in nature and can be executed using blood, tissue or genetic samples at a prenatal testing lab. The last option is for those that are alive but displaying symptoms of the disease. Blood samples are necessary for hereditary testing to check for the defective gene that causes SMA. Physical inspections can also be carried out by skilled physicians to search for certain signs and symptoms such as:
- Reduction or lack of tendon reflexes
- Spontaneous twitching of muscle fibers
- Signs of muscle weakness and/or wastage
Why stem cells work for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)
Stem Cell Therapy is considered to be a substitute method for treating Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and other neurodegenerative maladies. Stem cell transplantation is a prospective therapeutic strategy not only via cell replacement but also by modification of the extracellular motor neuronal environment, via a trophic and neuro protective effect. A variety of cell sources have been considered for cell therapy. Several of the treated patients showed major improvements in motor function, muscle tone and strength, speech and swallowing, balance and harmonization and fine and gross motor skills. Furthermore, the disease progression has been reported to be considerably slower after stem cell transplantation.
Get Stem Cell Therapy for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
SMA is caused by a gene called SMN1 (Survival Motor Neuron 1) that is either absent or seriously mutated. SMA, or “Survival Motor Neuron,” is a protein generated by SMN1. This protein (or lack thereof) is needed for humans to have healthy motor neurons (nerve cells), which serve as the wires that carry signals from the spinal cord to muscles in our bodies. Our nerve cells continue to atrophy and ultimately die without the SMN protein, resulting in the effects of weak/limp muscles.
Day 1-
- Pick up from the Airport to the Hospital
- Interaction between Dr and Patient, to clear all their doubts at that time
- Admission procedure
- Clinical examination & Lab test will be done prescribed by the doctor
- Supportive Therapy
Day 2-
- Stem cell Procedure
- Supportive therapies
- Physiotherapy
Day 3-
- Supportive Therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Discharging formalities
- Drop back to the Airport
Note:
- For Admission, carry the identity card (Passport/ Pan Card / Driving License)
- Carry the hard copy of Patient reports
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happens When You Have SMA?
The nerves that regulate muscle strength and movement deteriorate in SMA. The spinal cord and the bottom portion of the brain contain these nerves (known as motor neurons). They are unable to transmit messages from the brain to the muscles, which would allow them to move. When the muscles aren’t used, they shrink (or atrophy).
What are the causes of SMA?
The majority of cases of SMA are affected by a mutation in the SMN1 gene. The gene does not produce enough of a protein required for proper motor neuron function. Motor nerves die and are unable to transmit signals to the muscles.
Each parent gives one copy of the SMN1 gene to a child with SMA. A child who inherits the SMN1 gene from only one parent is unlikely to develop SMA, but he or she will transfer the gene on to their children.
People with SMA and their parents will get their genetics tested to see how likely they are to have a child with SMA.
What Are the Symptoms and Signs of SMA?
SMA manifests itself in a variety of ways. Some SMA babies are “floppy,” which means they don’t learn to roll or sit at the predicted age. An older child can fall more often than younger children or have difficulty lifting objects.
Scoliosis (a bent spine) can occur in children with SMA if the back muscles are weak. A child with extreme SMA may be unable to stand or walk, and may need assistance to feed and breathe.
What Are the Different Kinds of SMA?
SMA is divided into four categories based on the severity of the condition and the age at which signs first appear:
Form I, also known as Werdnig-Hoffmann disease or infantile onset SMA. Type I affects children from birth to 6 months of age, with the majority of babies displaying symptoms by 3 months. SMA in this type is the most serious.
Kind II affects infants between the ages of seven and eighteen months. Children can sit on their own but not walk. This form will range from mild to serious.
Type III, also known as Kugelberg-Welander syndrome or juvenile SMA, affects children from the age of 18 months to puberty. Children can walk freely, but their arms and legs are frail, and they are vulnerable to dropping. In girls, this is the mildest type of SMA.
The adult form of SMA is known as Type IV. Symptoms typically develop after the age of 35 and progressively intensify over time. Since type IV SMA progresses slowly, many people don’t realise they have it until years after symptoms appear.
Implantation Of Stem Cells: The stem cell implantation can be done in the following ways.
- Intravenous administration
- Intrathecal (lumber puncture)
- Intramuscular
- Intraarterial
- Subcutaneous
- Liberation angioplasty
- Surgical administration for stroke
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) patients treated with stem cells typically observe improvements in the following expanses:
- Motor Function
- Balance
- Neuropathic Pain
- Muscle tone and strength
- Coordination
- Fatigue
- Tremors
- Speech
- Fine and gross motor
- Swallowing
- Slowed down progression and more
Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are very eye-catching multi potent stem cells for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) cell therapy owing to their great plasticity and their aptitude to provide the host tissue with growth factors and to moderate the host immune system. The MSCs transplantation upsurges neuron survival and prevents gliosis, as microglia and astrocytes are both the target and reason of neuroinflammation, MSCs can save neurons and oligodendrocytes from apoptosis via the release of trophic and anti-apoptotic molecules, occasioning in the induction of a neuroprotective micro environment. Furthermore, Mesenchymal Stem Cells can promote the proliferation and maturation of local neural precursor cells, leading to their differentiation into mature neurons and oligodendrocytes.
We believe that there is always optimism and that patients deserve access to effective and safe treatments. We are independent with an internal medical department. We combine internationally attributed hospitals, pioneering treatments, unique products and amenities that are integrative and effective to ensure most favorable treatment outcomes.
Every patient gets an outsider authentication (broadly certify lab), for quality, amount of feasibility of cells.
The Staff at Stem Cell Care, India will call you following one month, two months and a half year to see the improvement of the treatment. This encourages us refine our conventions to improve further. You can likewise require some other assistance on the off chance that required.
Spinal muscular atrophy is a devastating disease of the nervous system. Most often caused by mutations in the gene of the motor neuron cell, spinal muscular atrophy leads to progressive paralysis and early death in the most severe cases. When impacted by spinal muscular atrophy, cells are deprived of essential components they need to live such as proteins or RNA and proteins needed for the production of these building blocks cannot be properly sent out because of the lack of SMN protein receptors. Millions of dollars have been spent on research for a reliable and effective treatment of this condition, but all hard work has laid no fruitful results. Except there is one alternative treatment that seems to be showing a lot of efficacy in patients who suffer from SMA. That treatment is stem cell transplants, which show enormous potential when it comes to replacing damaged tissues, repairing spinal cord injuries, and even producing neurons that can help the body build up new connections.
Debra J. Ruiz: My son was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and I was shattered. I consulted with various doctors and finally found Stem Cell Care India. Their doctors helped me get my son treated conveniently and at a very affordable cost. Currently, he is doing much better. Thank you Team SCCI.
Thomas Garner (Schoonhoven): My daughter has spinal muscular atrophy, a rare and life-threatening disease, and the only way to help her is with stem cell treatment. The treatment in the US costs a fortune; however, in India, my daughter can get the treatment for a fraction of the cost. So we found a clinic that offers the stem cell treatment of spinal muscular atrophy to people from all over the world including the US. I am so thankful for this treatment because now my daughter’s condition has improved a lot.
Tushar Singh (Lucknow): This treatment has helped my son a lot. He is able to stand and walk without support. He is able to eat without any help. The treatment was safe and effective. He had no side effects.
There are five types of spinal muscular atrophy. The type and manifestation of each are based on the age at which symptoms (of progressive muscle weakness) begin, as well as a person’s highest physical ability reached. No two people can ever be considered the same, even from the same type or stage of SMA as this is a disease with multiple complications. These types of SMA are as follows:
- Type 0 SMA: SMA Type 0 is very rare and most cases are seen as a reduction in the quantity of fetal movement in the weeks before delivery. The baby appears blue in tint at birth (cyanosis) and has a severe weakness, with difficulty breathing, low muscle tone, and abnormalities of the hands and feet. The severity varies, but the baby typically survives three months or less.
- Type 1 SMA: Also known as Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, SMA Type 1 is the most severe and common form of spinal muscular atrophy covering over 60% of all cases. In this type, between 2 and 6 months of age, the child will show a deterioration in motor skills and can ultimately become paralyzed. Babies with SMA Type 1 often need some sort of respiratory assistance or feeding tubes. If not treated early on, this disease can be fatal.
- Type 2 SMA: Type 2 is usually diagnosed after 6 months of age but before 2 years of age. The first sign is often a failure to meet motor milestones or a need for assistance in getting into or out of a seated position and for some increased difficulty in getting here there. Individuals with SMA Type 2 can sit up without assistance, but are unable to walk without crutches and will require a wheelchair.
- Type 3 SMA: SMA type III, which is also called Kugelberg-Welander Disease or Juvenile SMA, can be detected after 18 months of age and up until the age of 3. However, in rare cases, it can be detected later than that and symptoms are varied. A majority of children with this condition initially can walk, but as they grow older their mobility will decrease until they eventually have to start using a wheelchair or cane.
- Type 4 SMA: SMA Type 4 affects less than 1% of all diagnosed cases. It usually surfaces in adulthood and leads to mild motor impairment. Symptoms usually begin around age 35 although they can start as early as 18 years of age, the first symptom will be noticed in adulthood. This rare form of SMA tends to prove fatal between the ages of 40 and 50 years.
The cost of treatment can depend on many factors, including the type of stem cell treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy, the number of cells needed, your current condition and any pre-treatment tests. Of course, it’s important to know that the cost in India is a factor that stokes hope for people in need; it’s very affordable and convenient even for those travelling from abroad (due to easy accessibility to hospitals and state-of-the-art technology).
Stem cell therapy is a proven treatment that has shown various benefits for people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and its success rate is surprising for many researchers, therefore leading them to believe that in future, these cells could be used for some next-gen repair and regenerative purposes. The observations made by us as per the achievements in the SMA patients after therapy is considered are as follows:
- There was a substantial improvement in the motor functions of the patients.
- Balance, coordination and Speech improvements were also reported.
- We observed that the patients felt comfort from the neuropathic pain.
- The physique was considerable better after treatment.
- Patients reported that they felt enhancement in muscle tone and strength
There are various advantages of using stem cell therapy in India as an ideal choice for the treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy as mentioned below:
- Safe Treatment with no major side effects.
- Increase in the life expectancy of even the severe cases.
- Proven improvements in motor amplitude response of the tribal nerves.
- Promising efficacy of the treatment.
- Requirement of only a short time for preparation and only 3-days of average hospitalization.
We use top-of-the-line equipment, which harmonizes seamlessly with the highest standards in international guidelines and regulations that dictate the best conditions for stem cell therapy and ensures optimal safety and efficacy as follows:
- Stem cell sources are tested for harmful contaminants to maintain a safer environment for patients.
- To prevent any harm, both samples and media are tested for gram bacteria at various stages of processing.
- After the final wash, the stem cell source is screened for aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms to make sure it’s safe for patients.
- Every single cell batch is tested to ensure that the endotoxin level is low and only if it passes do they enter processing.
- To ensure that the quality of our treatment is the finest, every batch of our cells comes with a “Certificate of Analysis”.
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