Rückenmarkadaptation : bioresorbierbares Mikrosystem, Medikamentenapplikation, Stammzellen [Spinal cord adaptation : bioresorbable microsystem, drug administration, stem cells]

Abstract

Background. The idea behind the research project on neuroregeneration after spinal cord injury currently funded by the Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (DGUV) is to combine known drug and cell therapeutic approaches with a surgical procedure. Technique. Damaged spinal cord tissue is resected followed by a tension-free adaptation of the uninjured tissue. For this purpose, a connector element (mMS, mechanical micro-connector system) was developed based on microsystem technologies. The mMS additionally allows the administration of drugs via microchannels Animal trials. In a key experiment in rats, the fixation of the spinal cord tissue, regenerative axon growth through the mMS, and improvement of locomotor function was shown. Currently, further therapeutic combination strategies include the use of substances to reduce fibrotic scar formation, to digest proteoglycans that inhibit axonal growth, stem cells to stimulate axonal growth as well as the chemokine SDF1. Discussion. In order to enable a tension-free adaptation of healthy tissue, depending on the extent of the damage, a shortening of the corresponding spine segment may be necessary. This can be achieved by total vertebral resection. It is known from the literature that total removal of spine segments is technically possible. However, shortening the spine in the course of the treatment of spinal cord damage is new. By combining cellular pharmaceutical treatments with surgical mechanical procedures the neuroregenerative therapy of spinal cord injury seems possible. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.