Spine Stem Cell Trials Underway (written by Bilioine Young @ OTW)
Dr. Hyun Bae, co-director of the spine fellowship program at Cedars-Sinai Spine Center, Los Angeles, was among the first surgeons to use growth factor tissue engineering for intervertebral discs and multilevel artificial disc replacements for both the lumbar and cervical spine.
Now he is deeply involved in stem cell research and believes that the appropriate patients could benefit greatly from stem cell use. "I think stem cells will make a big impact on spine care," says Bae. "I don't think this is some mythical soundscape that won't work. I think in the next 10 years, stem cells will make a significant impact on our medical field."
Bae is participating in several clinical trials for spine surgery. One involves the injection of stem cells into the disc to promote disc regeneration. The goal is to relieve the patient’s pain without resorting to fusion procedures. According to Bae, this has been successful in animal models and is now being used in a human trial.
In patients with an annular tear, the surgeons are using a fibrin glue to close the disc and promote healing instead of fusing it or removing it. The...
