Stem cells treatment for stroke patients

Scientists at the University of Texas are launching a research that will help them understand the impact of possible stem cells treatment on acute stroke patients. The research will be done on ten patients who suffered a stroke, and their own stem cells will be used.

“This will be our first try to see if it’s safe using stem cells in acute stroke patients,” said Sean I. Savitz, M.D., one of the researchers. “This research is very promising, but we want to do it slowly and safely. We’re acting like that because we are injecting stem cells intravenously, and they can disperse to lots of different parts of the body and that’s why we’re looking at safety parameters.”

How does a stroke occur? When the blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a blockage or a rupture in an artery, depriving brain tissue of oxygen. It is estimated that one stroke happens every 39 seconds in USA, and that’s why this research is of huge importance. Stem cells could definitely help in helping these patients.

Research on animals has already been performed, and it clearly showed that stem cells do help heal. They hope it will work on humans too.

The research was funded by The National Institutes of Health.