The trauma of Spinal Cord Injuries is one of the most devastating effects of trauma to the central nervous system because it disrupts one of the most critical communication systems of the body. It renders people Para / quadraplegic with the associated loss of their independence and financially burdens their family and caregivers to an extreme degree. The loss from spinal cord injury is extreme and the available treatment has historically been rehabilitative with a focus on palliation rather than restorative, which is why the medical field has been desperate for new treatment options for the restoration of lost neural function. The most positive new area of medicine is Regenerative Medicine Thailand.
Pathology and Clinical Manifestations
The pathophysiology of Spinal Cord Injuries occurs in two phases. The first injury occurs and causes damage from the trauma and cell death with damage to the axons. Phase two is a secondary injury that, in the absence of treatment, persists for weeks to months. This secondary injury is composed of excitotoxicity and ischemic necrosis, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation in which toxic cytokines are released from inflammatory cells that migrate to the lesion which contribute to the injury. Additionally, there is a proliferation of reactive astrogliosis which is, in essence, formation of a scar that contains the lesion and mechanically impedes axonal regrowth. Because of this process patients are left with irreversible loss of motor and sensory function and autonomic dysfunction. The degree of the spinal cord lesion ultimately dictates the severity and the extent of the symptoms. Circa delta functionality is. Ultimately, the degree of the spinal lesion determines the severity of the symptoms and the degree of residual functionality. This results in pervasive deterioration of the quality of life and the patient requiring specialized care and constant assistance to complete a multitude of activities of daily living, highlighting the need for Regenerative Medicine Thailand.
Since Conventional Therapies Have Limitations
Current treatment protocols for Spinal Cord Injuries include immediate surgical decompression in order to stabilize the spine. High doses of corticosteroids are also administered to reduce the acute swelling. After stabilization, the primary focus of treatment becomes intensive physical rehabilitation to optimize the remaining functional muscle. Sadly, these methods are limited biologically and leave the patient with functional deficits. Surgical decompression prevents further mechanical compression, but does not address the issue of dead neurons. Pharmacological therapy reduces swelling and inflammation but does not enhance the regenerative process of neurons. Physical therapy also only reinforces the intact neural pathways and does not create new pathways. Most importantly, none of these methods address the glial scarring, nor stimulate the interrupted axon pathways to cross the defect. Because these methods do not address the loss of neurons, patients are left with very little hope of functional recovery without Regenerative Medicine Thailand.
Mechanisms of Stem Cell Interventions
Cellular therapies in Regenerative Medicine Thailand are being used to target permanent neuronal damage. Stem cell treatments have many mechanisms of action that target the various causes of permanent paralysis. When implanted at the lesion site, mesenchymal or neural stem cells initiate a multi-modal repair process. First, they secrete a battery of neurotrophic factors that support resident neurons and promote their axonal sprouting. Second, these cells also possess significant immunomodulatory effects, and they modify the microenvironment by downregulating the damaging pro-inflammatory macrophages and upregulating the tissue-repairing immune responses. Third, stem cells have the ability to further differentiate to functionally relevant neurons or oligodendrocytes, and the newly generated oligodendrocytes can remyelinate demyelinated axons to restore normal action potential conduction velocities. Last, some stem cell therapies are designed to modify the glial scar, and reduce the inhibitory environment that prevents axonal regeneration across the injury site. Addressing all of these various pathologies simultaneously, the innovative stem cell therapies being developed are a highly potential strategy to treat complex Spinal Cord Injuries.
The Future of Advanced Therapeutics
Southeast Asia is a rapidly-growing site of interest for clinical research, particularly Thailand where the combination of supportive regulations for ethical cellular research and the expansion of Regenerative Medicine Thailand, creates a new frontier for patients with Spinal Cord Injuries. Thailand’s healthcare system includes world-class medical professionals and high-end domestic research facilities. The Thai government encourages consistency in the translational research cycle between the clinic and the laboratory leading to high international investment and the recruitment of global medical talent. Patients from all over the world come to Thailand for services and specialized interventions that regulations and/or services in their countries do not allow. Thai research institutions are the world’s most advanced holders of bioengineering scaffolds and cellular therapies. Thai excellence in medicine, regulation, and bioengineering will yield new neurological therapies.
The cascade of cellular death in Spinal Cord Injuries is devastating. The result is a permanent disability. Regenerative Medicine Thailand is progressing rapidly. These technologies will restore the lost tissue, resolve the inhibitory scar formations, and restore the lost motor functions and vital functions. Regenerative medicine is the key to the active and rapidly progressing clinical ecosystem available in Thailand. The system of regenerative medicine in Thailand will restore the independence of the large population nationally and globally who are losing their independence and their functional capabilities.