Connections » Dr. Wint: Finger, Hand and Wrist

stem cell treatment for hypoplastichand

(5 posts)
  • Started 4 years ago by prashant
  • Latest reply from COSTANTINOS1

Total votes:

  1. prashant
    Member

    Hello doctor,
    I need your views regarding stem cell treatment (umbilical cord stem cells via the intravenous route)for my son who has hypoplastic hand and now he is 3.5 years old.According to regenecell people they have not treated such case but have treated one case of cerebral palsy in which child has non functioning hand which responded well.According to them they cannot predict outcome as all patients respond differently .
    As he is growing and due to regular physiotheraphy lot of improvement is observed in upper arm and forearm but still he is not able to move his wrist and fingures due to poor bones,tissues and muscles structure.our concern is that is such treatment helps in developing grip and will he able to write with his right hand.moreover we are thinking that as in worst case if improvment is not observed but shouldnot have adverse effect Your views are much awaited.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  2. Dr. Wint
    Moderator

    I do not know of this treatment for this problem. My answer to this is solely my own personal opinion based upon my own thoughts and what superficial knowledge of stem cells I have and not upon any research or study. If there are studies/cases to the contrary Id be love to read about them but I am by no means any authority on stem cells. Politics aside, The idea or promise of using stem cells hints at a great potential for many diseases and injuries and I would never disparage this work and it would be short sited to do so.

    Your post brings up many other interesting thoughts as scientists are forever trying to learn how to turn on a gene with gene therapy or other new research ideas to duplicate what other members of the animal kingdom as in earthworms or planaria or salamanders exhibit. Many limb differences are tied to failure of formation during a time in fetal development where the limb buds are maturing nd the idea of turning on the gene or factor to reverse this is a worthwhile quest.

    However for what you allude to, which I assume means stem cell infusion in a child, my personal thoughts are that It would unlikely work now.
    While stem cells may augment or improve upon a local tissue type present .. and thus their proposed use in parkinsons or diabetes where a single mature cell type has stopped functioning properly or is deficient in its biochemical capacity to make substances
    (supposedly although likely in many disease processes its more multifactorial than that)
    .I cannot see how stem cells could be stimulated to form mature tissues of many different types at the same time to augment a hypoplastic hand by adding joints, muscle, tendons, nerves, skin, blood vessels etc
    For me its too great a leap in logic simply by infusion. The quest for a true salamander effect ( the salamander that regenerates a leg after injury) making the use of these pluripotential stem cells nonetheless is intriquing still. And one wonders whether amputating or wounding the end of a digit combined with infusion of stem cells could show something in a species that doesnt normally exhibit this trait. Ie non salamanders. With all due respect to any animal.. id like to see it done for this type of problem in a laboratory setting with a stringent protocol before it is tried for a child.

    As far as a hand in CP that responded "well" What does that "well" mean? What was the response. What was measured.

    Other questions: Are there many children who have received stem cells? WHose stem cells will they use?
    Will your child need immunosupression? What are all the risks?
    All For a treatment that is UNTESTED in this situation.

    These are my thoughts

    Posted 4 years ago #

  3. tamara
    Member

    Dear prashant, Dear doctor,

    My 3 months old daughter was born with hypoplastic hand. I was wondering if you are aware of any progress in the field of stem cell treatment for hypoplasia, in the past two years.

    I would really appreciate if you could answer!

    Posted 1 year ago #

  4. Dr. Wint
    Moderator

    My answer remains the same. Of course if YOU have heard of something please share it so we can discuss it.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  5. COSTANTINOS1
    Member

    http://www.wakehealth.edu/Research/WFIRM/Research/Military-Applications/Growing-Fingers-And-Limbs-In-The-Lab.htm

    Posted 11 months ago #

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