What is Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)?
Until now neurologists believed that SMA is incurable and no treatment option will exist to help patients suffering with this devastating disorder. The neuronal degeneration will lead to gradual paralysis of the extremities which may be followed by the respiratory muscle paralysis in advanced stages of SMA I & II. The SMA type III and the Adult onset SMA present with less severe disabilities.
The spinal muscular atrophy is a genetic disorder which affects the control of muscle movement and it is caused by a loss of the specialized nerve cells called as Motor Neurons in the spinal cord and the part of the brain which is connected to the spinal cord or the brain stem. The loss of motor neurons will lead to weakness and wasting or atrophy of the muscles which are used for activities such as walking, crawling, controlling the head movement, sitting up. In severe cases of the SMA, the muscles used for breathing and the swallowing are affected. There are many types of SMA which are distinguished by the patten of features, age when the muscle problems begin, severity of the muscle weakness.The Stem Cell Treatment India for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is carried out at top class hospitals that are approved by groups like JCI that speak volumes about the quality health care services.
Type I spinal muscular atrophy also called as Werdnig- Hoffman disease is a severe form of the disorder which is evident at birth or within the first few months of life. Affected infants are developmentally delayed and most of them are unable to support their head or sit unassisted. Children with type will have breathing and swallowing problems which may lead to gagging and choking.
Types II spinal muscular atrophy is characterized by the muscle weakness which develops in children between the ages six and 12 months. Children with type II can sit without support although they still might require help in getting a seated position. Individuals with this type of spinal muscular atrophy cannot stand or walk unaided.
Type III spinal muscular atrophy also called as Kugelberg-Welander disease or juvenile type has milder features that typically develop between the early childhood and adolescence. Individuals suffering with type III SMA can stand and walk unaided but walking and climbing stairs may become increasingly difficult. Most affected individuals will require wheelchair assistance later in life.
Common Symptoms of Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Posture that gets worse
- Breathing problems
- Muscle weakness is main symptoms of spinal muscular atrophy
- Muscle tone extremely poor
- Unable to sit without support
What is the role of stem cells in SMA?
The stem cells have the ability to regenerate damaged neurons and the restore there function, which has been demonstrated in various Preclinical and the clinical studies. We offer the spinal muscular atrophy treatment in India and the procedures are done by our expert specialist. The mechanism of action is not clearly understood however the paracrine effect is combined with trophic effect which are widely acknowledged by the researchers.
What type of stem cell is better for SMA?
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) population contain stem cell which is the only kind on which the clinical research has been conducted for the SMA till date. There are other candidates for the stem cell future research like the neural stem cells, embryonic stem cells, etc.
Benefits of stem cells in Spinal Muscular Atrophy in India:
Patients getting the stem cell therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) have seen the improvements in the following areas:
- More strength in breathing muscles
- Better control on motor activities of the extremities, improvement in the muscle mass
- Prevention of the contractures and scoliosis
- Fatigue-patient can work for longer without being getting fatigued
- There can be slowdown in the progression of the disease
- Overall improvement in the quality of life and activities of the daily living
- Motor function or Hammersmith functional motor scale and the quality of index
With the evolving science, there are many options available to treat such conditions. Dheeraj Bojwani Consultants in India provides assistance to patients seeking the stem cell therapy for Spinal Muscular Atrophy in India. If you are seeking stem cell therapy in India for SMA, send us your detailed medical history, test reports to get your initial consultation with our doctors and ascertain whether you are eligible for a stem cell therapy. Get in touch with us by filling up a free consultation form on our website.
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