Stem Cell Treatment via Lumbar Puncture
Lumbar puncture is a 15 minutes surgical procedure conducted under local anesthesia.
A needle is carefully inserted into the spinal canal between two lumbar vertebrae. The spinal cord is absent in this location and there is little chance for injury. After tapping cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), stem cells are injected into the subarachnoid space. The stem cells then travel into the spinal cord and brain with the natural CSF circulation. One cycle of CSF circulation takes approximately six hours.
The advantage of this procedure is that it is simple, safe, pain free and a large quantity of stem cells can be directly administered into the central nervous system.
After stem cell administration via lumbar puncture, the patient will be required to remain in their bed for six hours for monitoring. Most patients have no adverse effects, although a few complain of headache or backache. These symptoms are temporary and disappear within a few days.
Post Treatment Monitoring
After each lumbar puncture, patients are observed and put on a monitor which assesses their heart rate, respiration, and other relevant information. A nurse will tend to you, gauge your temperature, and record all data. If you don’t have fever or complications, you will be free to leave the hospital. The hospital is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will be ready to treat you in the event of any unexpected medical complication.