Abstract

Background: Companion animals are prone to spinal cord injuries that are commonly associated with severe locomotor and sensory complications which can escalate to a state of irreversible paralysis. Stem cell therapies proposes a hope for treatment of spinal cord injuries via differentiation into neurons and associated glia cells, halting the immune attacks, inhibiting apoptosis and necrosis, and secretion of neurotrophic factors that stimulate the regeneration process.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the use of autologous Bone Marrow derived Stromal cells in Platelet Rich Plasma vehicle on selected clinical cases of chronic spinal cord injuries of dogs and cats as a one-time combined intrathecal/intravenous injection.
Methods: Cells were injected in 5 dogs and 3 cats suffering from disc protrusion leading to spinal cord injury which did not respond to conventional treatment as a clinical trial.
Results: results showed that the transplanted cells led to restoration of the weight bearing locomotor function and spinal reflexes in a period less than 90 days with physical rehabilitation. The treatment showed minor changes of the magnetic resonance images of extruded discs.
Conclusion: This study concluded that the combined intrathecal/intravenous injection of bone marrow stromal cells is a safe and a promising procedure for treatment of chronic spinal cord injuries in companion animals.

Key words: Spinal cord injury; stem cell therapy; Bone marrow Stromal cells; Platelet rich Plasma.