Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke in Guatemala

• The following signs and symptoms may be a sign that you are the person is having a stroke and should contact a doctor immediately.
• The face may have dropped on one side with the person being unable to smile. The eye or mouth may appear droopy.
• The person may be unable to lift both arms and keep them there. This may e due to arm numbness or weakness.
• The person may have slurred or garbled speech. They may not be able to speak at all in spite of being awake.

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is the most common treatment for ischemic stroke which dissolves the blood clot preventing the blood flow to reach the brain. However, tPA treatment has to be given within hours of the occurrence of the stroke which is often exceeded due to the time it takes the patient to arrive at a hospital.

Although the SB623 cells live for around a month researchers have noted that improvement continues to show for several months. It is thought that soon after they are implanted, the SB623 cells secrete deposits near the damaged tissues and the deposits boost regeneration and reactivation of nerve tissue which serves to improve motor function.

Mesenchymal stem cells are the commonly used stem cells in the treatment of stroke. This is because they are not rejected by the donor’s immune system despite being harvested from the bone marrow of donors. Mesenchymal stem cells occur naturally in the muscles, bone, fat and tendon tissues. They are easily harvested from bone marrow and they usually do not trigger a strong immune reaction in patients even when they are from an unrelated donor. Moreover, they may cause an active suppression of the immune system.

The adult stem cells are injected directly into the stroke patient’s brains This method has proven to be both safe and effective in the restoration of motor function. The procedure is typically performed when the patient is conscious but under light anesthesia. It involves drilling a small hole through the patient’s skull. The patient’s head is held in a fixed position while the hole is drilled to allow the SB623 cells to be injected which is accomplished with a syringe. The cells are injected into a number of spots at the periphery of the area damaged by the stroke which varies with each patient.

After the procedure, the patient is monitored through blood tests, brain imaging, and clinical evaluations. The patient is usually discharged the next day.

• Transient headaches due to the procedure.
• Transient nausea and vomiting

Motor-function improvements

Substantial improvements have been seen in stroke patients who had previously lost most motor function and were in wheelchairs and who could now walk. The improvement after the operation was seen to be independent of the patient’s age or the stroke’s severity.