Summary
| Diagnosis | Sex | Age | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spina Bifida | Male | 2 years | USA |
| Injections | Cell type | Admission date | Discharge date |
| 6 | UCBSC | 2010-04-13 | 2010-05-13 |
Condition On Admission
Patient’s primary concern was difficulty in walking. The muscle strength of both lower limbs was low. The sensation in both lower limbs was abnormal. The ankle joint had limited range of movement. Babinski’s sign was negative. All standard pre-treatment tests such as routine bloods, urine, blood biochemistry and prothrombin examination showed no significant abnormalities. The electrocardiogram and lung x-ray showed no significant abnormality
Treatment Schedule
The patient received 6 umbilical cord blood-derived stem cell (UCBSC) packets by intravenous (IV) and intrathecal injections, as per schedule below:
| Number | Date | Cell Type | Delivery Method | Side Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010-04-16 | UCBSC | Intravenous Injection | none reported |
| 2 | 2010-04-21 | UCBSC | Intravenous Injection | none reported |
| 3 | 2010-04-26 | UCBSC | Intravenous Injection | none reported |
| 4 | 2010-04-30 | UCBSC | Intravenous Injection | none reported |
| 5 | 2010-05-05 | UCBSC | Intravenous Injection | none reported |
| 6 | 2010-05-10 | UCBSC | Intrathecal Injection | none reported |
Condition at discharge
The doctors noted after the stem cell treatment that there was more power and sensation in the patient’s legs and his right ankle’s movement was better than before. The patient’s family reported moderate improvements in their child’s condition.
Condition 1 month after treatment
The family reported significant improvements. The family wrote the following in the 1 month evaluation: “He started walking independently and is now getting better everyday because he practices walking everyday. He can now turn and make stops while walking. He is working on not having his hands spread out while walking for balance. One hand is still out for balance but he got one hand down. He is able to control falling so he doesn’t hit his head and slows down or speeds up while walking already. He is also having improvement in feeling his feet. He scratched the arch in his left foot. He is starting to have feeling in the bottom of his feet.”
Condition 3 months after treatment
The family was still reporting continued significant improvements at the 3 month time point. Please see their comments below: “He continues to improve while walking with AFO’s (ankle-foot orthotics) on his feet. He is better this month at balance and walking with his feet closer together. His overall strength increased since the last evaluation and his feeling in his legs is still good to his ankles”