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Paralyzed man walks after cell transplant

"It is immensely gratifying to see that years of research have now led to the development of a safe technique for transplanting cells into the spinal cord," said Geoff Raisman.

By Brooks Hays

LONDON, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Darek Fidyka was paralyzed from the chest down after being stabbed in the back in 2010. But no longer. Fidyka, currently in rehabilitation, can walk again, and it's all thanks to cells extracted from his nose, doctors at the University College London's Institute of Neurology say.

In a groundbreaking new procedure, doctors in the United Kingdom were able to repair Fidyka's damaged spinal cord by transplanting Fidyka's olfactory cells to the injured portion of his spinal cord. The technique had shown promise in animal experiments, helping rats recover from spinal injuries. Now for the first time, the transplant technology has proven successful outside the lab -- offering hope for the thousands of people who suffer spinal cord injuries each year.

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"This technology has been confined to labs, so it's promising to see that it may have helped someone recover from a clean cut through the spinal cord," spinal surgeon Jeremy Fairbank, who wasn't involved in Fidyka's treatment, told Businessweek.

"It is immensely gratifying to see that years of research have now led to the development of a safe technique for transplanting cells into the spinal cord," said Geoff Raisman, the doctor who led the research team that treated Fidyka. "I believe we stand on the threshold of a historic advance and that the continuation of our work will be of major benefit to mankind. I believe we have now opened the door to a treatment of spinal cord injury that will get patients out of wheel chairs."

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Rasiman and his colleagues expect to do more work to develop a replicated approach to treating spinal cord injuries using olfactory ensheathing cells, the cells central to the communication between brain and nose that allow humans to smell. These cells are also vital for axonal regeneration, or the repairing of damaged central nervous system cells.

Fidyka's recovery hasn't been without difficulty. He can only walk with a the help of a frame, and it remains incredibly tiring. But he says his bladder sensation and sexual function continue to improve.

"I think it's realistic that one day I will become independent," Fidyka said. "What I have learned is that you must never give up but keep fighting, because some door will open in life."

Fidyka's treatment and recovery are detailed in the latest issue of the scientific journal Cell Transplantation.

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