Radiation Therapy And Microsurgery- Hope For Injured Spinal Cords

Research in lab rats with crushed spinal cords, mimicking human, show that a treatment combining radiation therapy to destroy harmful cells and microsurgery to drain excess fluids , can lead to even a permanent recovery.

Since repair of damaged cord directly correlates with prevention of, this research demonstrates that conventional clinical procedures hold promise for preventing paralysis from injuries .

Currently there is no cure for human spinal cord injury. Treatment after injury is largely limited to steroids administered to prevent further deterioration. “This research opens the door to developing a clinical protocol for curing human spinal cord injuries using conventional therapies,” said lead researcher Nurit Kalderon, Ph.D. Conducted at Sloan-Kettering Institute for in New York City, the research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

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