Treatment by human fetal neuronal tissue transplant from brain and spinal cord at heterotopic site in axilla in case of posttraumatic quadriplegia: A report of two cases

Abstract

Quadriplegia is paralysis caused by illness or injury to a human that results in the partial or total loss of use of all limbs and the torso of the patient. The loss is usually sensory and motor, which means that both sensation and control are lost. It is caused by damage to the brain or the spinal cord at a high level, C1-C7 - in particular, spinal cord injuries secondary to an injury to the cervical spine. The injury, which is known as a lesion, causes victims to lose partial or total function of all four limbs, meaning the arms and the legs. C1-C4 usually affects arm movement more than a C5-C7 injury; however, all quadriplegics have or have had some kind of finger dysfunction. Typical causes of this damage are trauma (such as a car crash, a fall or a sports injury), disease (such as transverse myelitis or polio), or congenital disorders, such as muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis. Although the most obvious symptom is impairment to the limbs, functioning is also impaired in the torso. This can mean a loss or impairment in controlling the bowel and bladder, sexual function, digestion, breathing, and other autonomic functions. Furthermore, sensation is usually impaired in affected areas. This can manifest as numbness, reduced sensation, or burning neuropathic pain. Secondarily, because of their depressed functioning and immobility, quadriplegics are often more vulnerable to pressure sores, osteoporosis and fractures, frozen joints, spasticity, respiratory complications and infections, autonomic dysreflexia [1], deep vein thrombosis, and cardiovascular disease.