Muscular dystrophy is a rapidly progressive muscular disorder in which a person loses the ability to walk by the age of 12 years. He gradually becomes dependent on ventilator support to breathe and a feeding tube to ensure adequate nutrition around 25 years of age.
Muscular dystrophy is caused by defective muscle tissue or due to the absence of a protein called dystrophin. It is characterized by the weakening or deterioration of muscle fibers. The most common and rapidly progressive muscular dystrophy is Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and the other X-linked muscular dystrophies are Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD).
This inherited X-linked disorder primarily affect the muscles, skeletal and cardiac muscles. The affected child or person is confronted with a mildly delayed motor milestone during his/her early childhood stage. Some of the common symptoms detected are toe-walking, difficulty while rising from the floor, unbalanced gait, and frequent falls due to muscle weakness. As the child with muscular dystrophy turns 5, there is a marked difference in his/her physical abilities compared to that of other children.
Significant progress has been made towards treating muscular dystrophy through cell-based therapy to improve muscle growth and regeneration of the dead cells. Stem cells are derived from various sources such as the umbilical cord blood and bone marrow.
The autologous stem cells, derived from the patient’s own bone marrow, include the ability to develop into multiple stem cells without losing their myogenic potential. At the clinic, the marrow is extracted from the hip-bone after applying local anaesthesia to ease the pain of the needle. The stem cells are then separated from the marrow tissue. These cells are then infused into the muscles using a very thin needle. This helps the stem cells to proliferate and migrate to the damaged tissue. Anchored within the host muscle, they replace or repair the damaged muscle fibers.
The new muscle fibers are capable of creating dystrophin, leading to improved muscle strength.
Improvement is observed in the functions and longevity of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy are achieved through a multidisciplinary approach by health-care specialists. They not only focus on primary care but also provide adequate treatment with autologous stem cells to manage the various complications of this disorder.
Neurogen hospital with their affiliated staff and neurosurgeons offer diagnosis, cell treatment options, and properly coordinated care to patients with muscular dystrophy. They proudly state to have treated over 1691 patients, who are now stepping into adulthood.
With a prolonged hope of survival, the therapists at Neurogen hospital provide apt interventions. These therapies are designed to improve the physical and mental health functionality in patients with muscular dystrophy. They are designed to provide better education, employment, and the importance of a social relationship.
Thus, advanced treatment with stem cells along with rehabilitation therapies aims at helping people with muscular dystrophy not only to enjoy the best possible lives but also to prolong their survival.
