The 40-year-old man's amazing recovery is hailed as a world-first, the case brings new hope to other paralysis sufferers

Oct 22, 2014 08:46 GMT  ·  By

A recent paper in the journal Cell Transplantation details the case of a paralyzed man who managed to walk again after doctors used one of his olfactory bulbs to treat the spinal cord injury that was keeping him from getting around on his own.

The man's amazing recovery is argued to be a medical-first, and many say that the success doctors had in treating this patient brings new hope to paralysis sufferers worldwide.

How the patient lost his ability to walk

As detailed in the journal Cell Transplantation, the man, identified as 40-year-old firefighter Darek Fidyka, became paralyzed several years ago, in 2010, International Business Times informs.

More precisely, the patient lost his ability to walk after being attacked and stabbed several times in his back. Of the knife wounds he suffered during this attack, some were to his spinal cord.

At the time of the incident, doctors argued that the injuries to Darek Fidyka's spinal cord were too severe for the man ever to be able to walk again. As it turns out, they were wrong.

Using nose cells to treat spinal cord injuries

In an attempt to help 40-year-old Darek Fidyka to literally get back on his feet, scientists in Poland and London turned their attention to a specific type of cells that are part and parcel of the human sense of smell.

These cells, known as OECs (olfactory ensheathing cells), make it possible for nerve fibers included in the makeup of a person's olfactory system to be constantly renewed and thus ensure that one's sense of smell stays sharp.

The doctors who treated Darek Fidyka started by removing one of his olfactory bulbs, which they used to grow OECs in laboratory conditions. The cells obtained in this manner were then injected into the man's spinal cord.

As detailed in the image below, the cells were introduced in the man's body both above and below the part of the spinal cord that had been badly damaged during the attack. All in all, surgeons injected the 40-year-old with about 500,000 OECs.

Once this part of the procedure was completed, 4 strips of nerve tissue taken from the man's ankle were placed in the gap that the knife blow had left in Darek Fidyka's spinal cord. With help from the OECs, the ankle nerve tissue connected to the one above and below the injury, forming one smooth line.

Interestingly enough, it appears that, because the OECs and the nerve tissue used during this intervention were extracted from the patient's nose and ankle, respectively, there was no need for Darek Fidyka to be prescribed immunosuppresive drugs in order to avoid rejection.

The aftermath of the procedure

It is understood that it was about 6 months after this innovative intervention that 40-year-old Darek Fidyka succeeded in taking his first steps. Thus, with the help of leg braces and a physiotherapist, he managed to walk along two parallel bars.

The procedure was carried out about 2 years ago, and the patient can now walk around relying on nothing but a frame for support. He says that he feels incredible, and that, when he took his first steps 6 months after the intervention, it was almost like being born again.

Given the success they had with this patient, the scientists behind this research project say that they plan on using this innovative therapy to treat other paralysis sufferers in the years to come.

“Our team in Poland would be prepared to consider patients from anywhere in the world who are suitable for this therapy. They are likely to have had a knife wound injury where the spinal cord has been cleanly severed,” said Dr Pawel Tabakow with the Wroclaw Medical University.

Image details what the intervention boiled down to
Image details what the intervention boiled down to

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Doctors help paralyzed man walk again
Image details what the intervention boiled down to
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