When the fresh oxygenated blood supply to the brain gets suddenly disrupted due to a ruptured blood vessel or blood clots, the brain cells die leading to a stroke. Some of the symptoms of a stroke are sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, trouble speaking, dizziness, loss of limb coordination, disturbed vision in one or both eyes, loss of balance while walking, and severe headache. If an individual exhibits such symptoms, cell therapy for stroke is the most suitable treatment to stop further dire consequences and to regain brain plasticity.

Causes

• Obesity
• Smoking
• High blood pressure and cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Heart ailments, such as blood clot and irregular heart rhythm that can lead to stroke
• Family history of stroke
• A previous history of stroke or mini-stroke

After-effect of stroke

Although stroke caused due to the damaged brain, it affects the entire body. This may result in a complete paralysis on one side of the body, also known as hemiplegia. The effect of stroke causes problems with cognition skill, attention, learning disability, and memory loss. Stroke patients face problems understanding or forming speech that leads to emotional issues. They also experience depression, numbness, strange sensations of pain which is worse in areas like the hands and feet.

Treatment

Treatment for stroke depend on factors such as its type and severity. The sooner is the individual receives help after a stroke, there is a better chance for a quick recovery. The three main types of stroke are:

Ischemic (Clots)

An Ischemic stroke occurs when the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain get obstructed due to clots or the fatty deposits lining the vessel walls (atherosclerosis).

Hemorrhagic (Haemorrhage)

Hemorrhagic stroke is triggered by blood vessels that rupture and haemorrhage resulting in blood accumulation and compression of the surrounding brain tissue. The two types of hemorrhagic strokes are subarachnoid and intracerebral haemorrhage.

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

A Transient Ischemic Attack is a temporary blockage of the blood flow that does not cause permanent damage, but at times is a signal for a major stroke ahead.

The treatment comprises of cell therapy and post-stroke rehabilitation therapies. Cell treatment is aimed at treating the underlying symptoms by replacing the damaged tissue caused by bleeding and blood clots. The main goal of stroke treatment with stem cells is to restore the normal blood flow to the brain. Stem cells extracted from the marrow-derived from the patient’s hip bone has the potential to replace the damaged neurons and to self-renew indefinitely for years. With the properties of division and regeneration, they help to repair the cells and tissue of the brain and blood vessels.

Process

Cell therapy for stroke is accomplished by using stem cells derived from the bone marrow of the patient. The surgical procedure followed by the neurosurgeons involves: The extraction of 80 to 120 ml of marrow tissue from the hip bone of the patient using an aspiration needle. The extracted marrow tissue undergoes a density gradient centrifugation procedure to separate the required stem cells from the unwanted tissue. These stem cells subjected to a quality check at the laboratory. These stem cells are intrathecally injected into the spinal area of the patient from where they travel to the damaged areas of the brain with the help of cerebrospinal fluid. They reach the tissue site and activate their repairing process to replace the dead or damaged cells. During the healing process, they repair the damaged blood vessels and restore the constant flow of blood supply to the brain. Post-stroke, cell treatment, rehabilitation therapies help in overcoming the disabilities. Depending on the severity of the damage, individuals are advised speech therapy, physiotherapy, and diet counselling to help them regain their lost abilities. Cell therapy for stroke is the most suitable treatment to stop further dire consequences and to regain brain plasticity.

New hope with stem cell treatment

Until now the chances of surviving a stroke and further Stroke Treatment depends how fast a patient gets medical attention. However, providing medical aid within minutes is not always possible, so patients are administered with traditional treatment options. Rigorous physical therapy is administered to help regain lost functionalities of the body, but still there is no complete Stroke Treatment option for reinstating the cells of the brain, which died because of the stroke. However, with Stem Cell Therapy this problem can get a permanent solution, as this kind of therapy intends to replace damaged cells and put healthy cells in their place, so that the affected part can function normally, or at least the damage done is minimized to improve condition of the patient. Stem Cell Therapy research also aims at making such treatment fully safe and effective for patients so researchers always keep an eye on the effects or even side effects that occur after injecting stem cells into a patient’s body.