ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that usually attacks both the upper and lower motor neurons and causes degeneration throughout the brain and spinal cord. A common first symptom is a weakness in the hands, feet, arms or legs, which occurs in more than half of all cases. Other early symptoms include speech, swallowing, or walking difficulties.
The biological mechanisms that cause ALS are only partially understood. The only known cause of ALS is a mutation of a specific gene: the SOD1 gene. This mutation is believed to create a defective protein that is toxic to motor nerve cells.
We provide a unique program combining several therapies:
1. Before the stem cells treatment, a complete examination of the patient's condition will be done by our neurology doctors, including a body organs function check and an evaluation of the nervous system.
2. Medication to adjust the condition of the patient's immune system: according to the patient's clinical condition, an effective medication will be used to adjust the immune function, nourish neurons and clear away the internal microenvironment to protect the neurons and help the growing of stem cells.
3. Stem Cells Activation and Proliferation Treatment - Patients receive a daily IV of neurotrophic factors and medicines used to stimulate the production of the body's own stem cells.
4. Rehabilitation: The rehabilitation program is an integral part of stem cell therapy. The treatment includes daily physiotherapy and occupational therapy sessions and a complementary Chinese traditional medicine treatment.
5. Stem Cell Implantation: Neural Stem Cell injections are delivered via lumbar puncture into the cerebral spinal fluid in four separate injections. Those stem cells will grow into neurons and rebuild new body neural innervations, at same time; the new neurons can nourish the peripheral nerves and nerve roots, fix the neural system damage and improve the muscular atrophy.
The whole program length is about 5 to 7 weeks.
Written by Dr. Li Ke Wu and Dr. Xiaojuan Wang
