The Miracle Teabag: Stem Cells in a Pack Help Stroke Victim Talk Again
Doctors have used a revolutionary stem cell treatment to restore the power of speech for stroke victim Walter Bast. Bast also regained the use of his right arm after the operation, which placed a ‘teabag’ of stem cells in his brain.
If further trials prove the treatment’s worth, it could be available to other stroke victims in as little as five years. Currently, the only treatment options have a variable success rate. Only one in 20 patients recover to the extent of Mr. Bast.
The CellBeads treatment involved the implantation a teabag-like sachet filled with tiny capsules, each containing about a million stem cells. The stem cells, taken from bone marrow, have been genetically engineered to make a drug that protects brain cells from dying. This lets the cells rejuvenate and repair the damage done by the stroke.
The stem cells are encapsulated in beads to hide them from the immune system and ensure they are not rejected by the body. It also allows the surgeon to easily remove it at the end of the treatment period.
Recent Comments