Imagine losing control of your vehicle and waking up in the hospital paralyzed from the neck down. This is the story of Kristopher Boesen , whose life changed completely when his car spun out of control on a slippery road, crashing into a lamppost and a tree. Doctors warned Kris’s parents that he would never be able to move anything from the neck down again.
The procedure
Kris was offered the chance to undergo a potentially life-changing procedure using stem cells, which were believed to have the ability to repair damaged nerve tissue by replacing damaged cells. The experimental procedure didn’t guarantee any restoration of Kris’s paralysis, but for him, the risk was worth it.
The process began in April 2016 when Dr. Liu injected 10 million AST-OPC1 cells directly into Kris’s cervical spinal cord. The AST-OPC1 cells come from egg donations that are fertilized in vitro (i.e., in a petri dish). Dr. Liu explains, ” Typically, patients with spinal cord injuries undergo surgery that stabilizes the spine, but very little is done to restore motor or sensory function. With this study, we are testing a procedure that can improve neurological function, which could mean the difference between being permanently paralyzed and being able to use your arms and hands. Restoring function at that level could significantly improve the daily lives of patients with severe spinal cord injuries. “
The results
After just three weeks of treatment, Kris began showing signs of improvement, and within two months he could answer the phone, write his name, and operate a wheelchair. He had significantly improved his motor functions, which are the transmission of messages from the brain to muscle groups to create movement.
Kris recovered two levels of spinal cord that made a huge difference in her movement abilities. It was the difference between minimal or no movement at all and being able to function independently. Kris regained the very important aspect of independence.
After seeing the results of stem cell therapy, Kris was thrilled, saying, “ All I’ve wanted from the beginning was a fighting chance… But if there’s a chance for me to walk again, then yes! I want to do everything I can to get that .”
The future
Although doctors can’t promise whether Kris’s condition will improve further, they will continue to experiment with stem cell research to try to improve the likelihood of her being fully functional despite her paralysis.
So far, great strides have been made, and further progress is expected in the quest to resolve paralysis. Dr. Liu and his USC team are determined to continue stem cell research and beyond.
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