| Results from 16 patients with
medical record of permanent paraplegia or quadriplegia treated
from August 1988 to October 1996. Recovery data documents their
spinal cord injury indicating measurements from before and after
their spinal cord regeneration procedures with reconstructive
microsurgery of the spinal cord and neural and spinal cord blue
shark embryo cell xenotransplants. |
Patient Demographics and Recovery Levels
| |
Injury |
Date |
Prior |
Date |
Sensory |
Motor |
Bladder |
Bowel |
| Patient Name |
Level |
Injury |
Recovery |
Surgery |
Recovery |
Recovery |
Control |
Control |
| Israel |
T-8 |
08/88 |
None |
12/90 |
Full |
Full |
Full |
Full |
| Joaquin ** |
T-6 |
|
None |
07/94 |
L-1 |
L-1 |
None |
None |
| Miguel |
T-4 |
10/93 |
None |
10/94 |
Full |
L2-3 |
Partial |
Full |
| Jesus * |
T-8 |
07/90 |
T-9 |
11/94 |
Full |
L2-3 |
Full |
Full |
| Luis |
T-3 |
01/93 |
T-4 |
05/95 |
L1-2 |
T-12 |
None |
None |
| Kris |
C-5 |
05/89 |
None |
06/95 |
T-12 |
T-10 |
None |
None |
| Joanne |
C-6 |
5/77 |
None |
07/95 |
T-12 |
T-10 |
None |
None |
| Raul* *** |
T-5 |
03/85 |
None |
07/95 |
L-2 |
L-1 |
None |
None |
| Carlitos ** # |
C-2 |
12/94 |
C-3 |
10/95# |
C-5 |
C-4 |
None |
None |
| Robert |
C-5 |
04/87 |
C-5+ |
12/96 |
T-4 |
C-7 |
None |
None |
| Brian # |
T-12 |
07/92 |
None |
04/96# |
L2-3 |
L-1 |
Starts |
Starts |
| Saleh * |
T-8 |
05/96 |
None |
05/96 |
T9-10 |
T-9 |
None |
None |
| Kristtyna |
T-12 |
08/95 |
None |
06/96 |
L2-3 |
L2-3 |
Starts |
None |
| Celeste ! |
T-7 |
12/93 |
T-8 |
06/96 |
T12-L1 |
T-12 |
None |
None |
| Jean Pierre |
T-6 |
09/95 |
None |
11/96 |
T-8 |
T-8 |
None |
None |
| Alejandrina |
T-8 |
09/95 |
None |
11/96 |
T-8 |
T-8 |
None |
None |
Results of patient progress measured
as levels of functional gain over time.
| Data indicates that gain is a function
of time in treatment, suggesting that recovery is a developmental growth
process. The data supports the hypothesis that embryonic cell xenotransplant
therapy produces a neural matrix or infrastructure within the spinal cord
that gradually supports neural excitation with resulting sensory and motor
gain. |
Post-Surgical Treatment Gain Measured as Increase
in Functional Levels
| |
Injury |
Levels of Gain |
Months in |
Post Surgery |
Post Surgery |
Average Gain |
| Patient Name |
Level |
Before Surgery |
Treatment |
Sensory Gain |
Motor Gain |
(s + m)/ 2 |
| Israel |
T-8 |
0 |
70 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
| Joaquin ** |
T-6 |
0 |
27 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
| Miguel |
T-4 |
0 |
24 |
26 |
11 |
18.5 |
| Jesus * |
T-8 |
1 |
23 |
22 |
7 |
14.5 |
| Luis |
T-3 |
1 |
17 |
14 |
9 |
11.5 |
| Kris |
C-5 |
0 |
16 |
20 |
18 |
19 |
| Joanne |
C-6 |
0 |
15 |
14 |
12 |
13 |
| Raul* *** |
T-5 |
0 |
15 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
| Carlitos ** # |
C-2 |
1 |
12 |
3 |
2 |
2.5 |
| Robert |
C-5 |
1 |
10 |
7 |
2 |
4.5 |
| Brian # |
T-12 |
0 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
| Saleh * |
T-8 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
1.5 |
| Kristtyna |
T-12 |
0 |
6 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
| Celeste ! |
T-7 |
1 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5.5 |
| Jean Pierre |
T-6 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| Alejandrina |
T-8 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1.5 |
* Gunshot injury
** No follow-up possible
# Surgery not necessary. Embryonic cell treatment only.
! Painful rods removed as a second surgery
*** Deceased 10/96
Patient Results
Below is a description of four of our patients and their progress.
Patient #1
Age: |
30 |
Sex: |
Male |
Occupation: |
Fisherman |
Diagnosis: |
Traumatic Paraplegia |
Etiology: |
Car Accident |
Pathology: |
Compression Fracture Thoracic Spine, Level
T4 |
Previous Surgeries: |
Back Fusion. Rod Fixation.
|
Recovery from original surgery after 48 months: |
None |
Status Before Reconstruction and
Embryonic Cell Transplant Therapy: |
Paraplegic. No sphincter
control. |
Current status (24 months after Spinal Cord Reconstruction): |
Ambulatory. Controls sphincters. Normal
sexual response. Working at the offices of a Fisherman's Cooperative. |
Remarks: |
Speed of recovery was
affected due to deficient follow up after surgery. Office visits were every
4 to 6 months. No physical therapy facilities at home (Small fishing village).
Fixed equinus deformities on both feet required tendoachilles lengthening.
Currently beginning to drive again. He now walks with the aid of a cane.
|
Goals: |
To start commercial deep sea diving again
for lobster, abalone, etc. |
Patient #2
Age: |
19 |
Sex: |
Male |
Occupation: |
Student |
Diagnosis: |
Traumatic Paraplegia |
Etiology: |
Car Accident |
Pathology: |
Compression Fracture Thoracic Spine, Level
T2 |
Previous Surgeries: |
Back Fusion. Rod Fixation. |
Recovery from original surgery after 36 months: |
None. 1 year of Physical Therapy at Scripps
in La Jolla. No Improvement. |
Status Before Reconstruction and
Embryonic Cell Transplant Therapy: |
Paraplegic. No sphincter
control. |
Current status (12 months after Spinal Cord Reconstruction): |
Ambulatory with walker. Controls his hips.
Starting to control his quads. He
is able to walk one mile a day. Two hours of physical therapy daily.
Electromyography and peripheral nerve velocity conduction test from March
1995 shows activity to level Lumbar 1. |
| Remarks: |
Speed of recovery has
been rapid, due to daily physical therapy and medical
follow-ups for Embryonic Cell Transplants. |
Patient #3
Age: |
21 |
Sex: |
Male |
Occupation: |
Mechanic |
Diagnosis: |
Traumatic Paraplegia |
Etiology: |
Car Accident |
Pathology: |
Compression Fracture Thoracic Spine,
Level T2 |
Previous Surgeries: |
Back Fusion. Rod Fixation.
|
Recovery from original surgery after 36 months: |
None. |
Status Before Reconstruction and
Embryonic Cell Transplant Therapy: |
Paraplegic. No sphincter
control. |
Current status (after Spinal Cord Reconstruction): |
He has begun to stand with the aid of
a walker and is begriming to take his first steps. Motor and sensation
recovery from T2 down to Iliac crest. |
| Remarks: |
Medical follow ups
every two weeks for erectness Embryonic
Cell Transplants. |
Patient #4
Age: |
22 |
Sex: |
Male |
Occupation: |
Office Worker |
Diagnosis: |
Traumatic Paraplegia |
Etiology: |
Gun Shot |
Pathology: |
Fracture Thoracic Spine, Level T8 |
Previous Surgeries: |
Bullet Removal. |
Recovery from original surgery after 24 months: |
None. Patient tried
rehabilitation at Rancho Los Amigos for 12 month, a Biofeedback Program
in
Miami and Philadelphia, with no improvements. |
Status Before Reconstruction and
Embryonic Cell Transplant Therapy: |
Paraplegic. No sphincter
control |
Current status (after Spinal Cord Reconstruction): |
He has regained sensation down to the
tips of his toes. Has bladder control. Medical follow up every 2 weeks
for Embryonic Cell Transplant. |
|