It was not long ago that treatment options for spinal cord injuries were few and far between. These days, doctors have more options. Keep reading to learn about four of those treatment options and then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 if you require a free legal consultation with a personal injury attorney.
- Stem Cells There is great potential to treat spinal cord injuries – along with other serious conditions – thanks to stem cells. Researchers have implanted stem cells into rats that have suffered from severed spinal cords. The research shows significant regeneration of the severed nerve fiber, which resulted in the rats being able to move their front legs much more easily. An experimental procedure has been done on six human patients in a New York medical center. Preliminary results seem to indicate that this may be promising. Four of the six patients had improved motor strength and function after the procedure.
- Repeated Muscle Stimulation The BioMag Laboratory in Finland had two patients who had suffered injuries more than two years previous to get daily combined transcranial and peripheral nerve muscle stimulation. They did this for six months. The research of course only covers the results of two people, but the results were indeed impressive: The paraplegic patient was able to bend both of their ankles while the quadriplegic patent regained their ability to grasp objects.
- Biodegradable Polymers Researchers from the Mayo Clinic created a biodegradable polymer that could change the future of spinal cord injury treatment. The surgeons plant sponge-like polymers into the gaps in the spinal cord that have resulted from injury. Body fluids then cause the expansion of the polymers so that they are in the correct size and place. Testing has been moving on cadavers but human trials may be on the horizon in the near future.
- Epidural Stimulation This process involves a chip being implanted into the spinal cord. It then sends constant electrical currents throughout the spinal cord. The first study shows that this could help restore bladder, bowel, and even sexual function in spinal cord injury patients, but that is not why the process was started. It was intended to help with standing and stepping.
If you have been the victim of an accident in which your spinal cord has been injured, and someone else was responsible for that accident, then you deserve to have your damages covered by the at-fault party. This could help you afford some of the more experimental processes that your insurance company may not be willing to cover.
Contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
