Cerebral palsy is usually associated with events that occur before or during birth, but may be acquired during the first few months or years of life as the result of head trauma or infection.
Cerebral palsy means “brain paralysis”, it causes fault development and damage motor areas in the brain, which results in a number of chronic neurological disorders. The symptoms of cerebral palsy (CP) differ from person to person and change as children and their nervous systems mature. The severity of the symptoms is related to the severity of the brain damage.

Common Symptoms
Symptoms of cerebral palsy can be as simple as having difficulty with fine motor tasks like writing or using scissors, or as profound as being unable to maintain balance or walk. Other common symptoms are speech problems, vision problems, and different levels of paralysis of the limbs. Severely afflicted patients may have involuntary movements, such as uncontrollable hand motions and drooling. Others suffer from associated medical disorders, such as seizures and mental retardation.

Stem cell treatment for Cerebral palsy

We have recently developed a comprehensive program for Cerebral Palsy patients combining both nerve stem cell activation and stimulation treatment and stem cells injections.  This combined treatment has so far proved itself to be most efficient in bringing high level of recovery. 
The treatment includes stem cell implantation, a ‘cocktail’ of medications and brain nutrition materials given through IV, biofeedback treatment and comprehensive rehabilitation.

By employing all of the above methods we can maximally improve functions such as sensibility, mobility, language and intelligence. 

The key to the success of this treatment method is the overall customized treatment regimen for each patient.

Self Stem Cells Activation and Proliferation:

Under non-invasive circumstances, through daily IV of individually customized cocktail of neurotrophic medicines we activating the patient’s own stem cells and thus turning these cells into nerve precursor cells.  These have signalization and migrate to lesions along the nerve developing-chord.

Neural Stem Cells Injections:

Neural Stem cells extracted from Fetus has the advantage that they are already specialized naturally into neural cells and there is no need to induce them into neural cells by artificial means.

We offer two kinds of implantation procedures for Cerebral Palsy patients:

1. Sterotaxios Brain Stem cell Injection Surgery: We use that technique when the specific damaged or main damaged area in the Brain is known.

2. Sub-arachnoid Surgery- Spinal Cord Fluid Stem Cell Injections- Injection through lumber puncture into the spinal cord fluid. We use this technique in the following cases:
1. The patient cannot cooperate properly for going through sterotaxios brain surgery 2. The target in the brain is not clear enough or too big to use the brain injection. 3. The patient is afraid of brain surgery and prefers to have the lumber puncture injection.
This procedure takes between 5 to 10 minutes. It is a simple and safe procedure that has almost no side effects or risks. At Tiantan Puhua hospital this procedure takes place in the operation room and performed by stem cell specialist neurosurgeon.
    
Typically, between 3- 4 injections of 3 million cells each are given to the patient.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation therapy is very much necessary as a part of the entire treatment regimen. In the past 20 years nerve system rehabilitation in terms of motor control theory has been greatly developed. The research results indicate that brain injury is an anatomical injury and it does not necessarily mean functions loss. Modern nerve development theory (NDT) stresses what functions remain and what functions can be regained through treatment and/or training.

The adult stem cell mobilization technique we use is combined with signal induction in the rehabilitation training procedure which can significantly improve brain function.

In our Rehabilitation center we use different kind of rehabilitation methods such as: Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
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The Procedures

Self stem cell activation and proliferation program
This program usually takes six to eight weeks of stay in the Hospital.
1. Upon arrival at the hospital, you will be given standard tests to check your health and the details of your condition. A thorough evaluation of the neurological function and understanding of the lesion or pathological change in the brain tissues will be established by the medical team.
2. According to your condition a medical plan will be designed for Self Stem cell Original Activation and Proliferation treatment.  Then, to drive off the triggers factors of the stroke, we will treat the blood vessel wall, the blood ingredients and the blood flow, improving the brain micro environment to help the stem cells proliferate.
3. The self activation and proliferation treatment will than start. Based on Neuro-endocrine immune network theory, we treat the patients by “waking up” the sleeping stem cells through oral medication. We use different medications during different processes (proliferation-inducement-differentiation), the medications always adjusted and combined; therefore, we call it ‘cocktail treatment’.
4. Through the treatment period we will be following up and evaluate your neurological function and improvement.
5. While one treatment cycle is complete, 2 to 5 months rest are recommended before coming for second treatment.

Stem cells implantation procedures

Stem cell implantation by sterotaxios technology.

1． Preparation: You will be given enough time to recover after your trip before you will receive your first injection of stem cells. Some patients prefer to wait a day or two to get settled in before taking all the tests as they are quite thorough and can be strenuous after a long trip.
2． A sterotaxios frame is installed on the patient’s head and he is then sent to CT or MRI scan with the frame.
3． The patient is sent to the operation room for surgery. The operation procedure:
The 3-D parameters of the injection target is calculated by 2 computers and related program to make sure of the accuracy of the surgery.
A sterile surgical guiding frame is installed that is connected with the head frame      A needle is them inserted under the guiding frame into the target by a tiny hole in   
the  skull through which the stem cells are injected.

Stem Cell Implantation through the Cerebral Spinal Fluid (Lumber Puncture)

Most Cerebral Palsy patients have global brain damage. That is when we recommend doing the stem cells implantation through the spinal cord fluid. Through the SCF the stem cells will migrate to the damaged areas in the brain. This procedure is short and simple and done with local anesthesia.
In order to prevent even the minor risk of infection and keep a strictly sterile environment, the procedure is done in the operation room by a neurosurgeon only.

Side effects:

Both of the procedures can cause minor side effect for 2 to 3 days after the operation such as fever, headaches, dizziness and fatigue.  These side effects are expected and should not alarm or concern you. Many patients do not suffer any side effects.

Treatment period:

The recommended period of time for treatment is 6 to 8 weeks but there should
be improvement after the first month. The patient can decide on whether to
do the second month’s treatment at the end of the first month.

To see a daily time table of the treatment program from the day of arrival to the day of departure please click here

Signing up for treatment:

If you are considering having this treatment you will need to send us MRI images as well as medical information about the patient’s condition. Our medical team will have a thorough consultation about the case, and we will then come back to you with their evaluation and suggested course of action. The more information you will provide our doctors could give you a more accurate evaluation and estimation of the chances for improvements and recovery from the treatment.

You have two options of sending MRI and medical records:

1. If you can have the MRI as digital images you may send them as attachments along with your diagnosis and medical background via email:
Send us your medical records here

2. You can send us your MRI and medical records by air mail. Make sure to use express mail so you can track the package if necessary.

Please send the package to the following address:

To: Dr. Sherwood 
Beijing Tiantan Puhua Hospital
12 Tiantan Nanli
Beijing, 100050,
People’s Republic of China

Our international department team will be happy to answer any of your question.
We promise to get back to you as soon as possible.
Send us an enquiry here 

As you made the decision of coming for treatment please fill in the following form:
Initial background for Tiantan Puhua’s patients

Signing up for treatment is easy and flexible – we need to know your date of arrival two weeks in advanced so we can reserve you a room and arrange to pick you up from the airport.
Our international department team will help you to figure out all the arrangement for your trip. For more information about traveling arrangements see here.

We warmly recommend you to check out our useful Q&A.

We are looking forward to hearing from you.