A stroke is a cerebral stroke. Stem cells currently used for the treatment of stroke are mainly fetal-derived neural stem cells. Neural stem cells can protect damaged nerve cells, promote endogenous neural stem cell proliferation and migration, promote synaptic remodeling, stimulate neovascularization, as well as integration into the main neural circuits, thus restoring the damaged neural function and achieving the goal of stroke treatment.
Stem cell transplantation methods include cell suspension into blood vessel transplantation, stereotactic transplantation and transcerebrospinal fluid transplantation.
1. Cell suspension into blood vessel transplantation method: the peripheral vein or carotid artery can be chosen to inject stem cell cell suspension, but the stem cells injected from the peripheral vein will be intercepted by the lungs, and there is a phenomenon that they do not migrate to the brain or other organs, so the number of cells that really reach the lesion is relatively small; and stem cells transplanted through the carotid artery can easily lead to cerebral infarction.
2. Stereotactic transplantation method: through stereotactic device, local injection of brain is used to transplant stem cells, the advantage of this method is that stem cells are accurately transplanted to the lesion area, and the treatment is more efficient, but the disadvantage is that this method is very easy to damage the normal brain tissues, so it is difficult for the patients to accept this method.
3. Transcerebrospinal fluid transplantation method, stem cells can be injected from the patient’s ventricle or subarachnoid space, and the stem cells will play a therapeutic role after they reach the damaged area, which is convenient to operate and less damaging to the patient.
All of the above are clinical options for stem cell therapy for stroke, and patients are advised to decide whether to undergo stem cell therapy under the guidance of professional doctors.