Published on 21 October 2014, by M. Tomazy.
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| Illustration: Spine injury (Truthdig ©) | |
A knife attack put Darek Fidyka on his back for two years, but an amazing medical procedure appears to have partially mended his spinal cord.
The BBC reports that researchers and doctors in the U.K. and Poland figured out how to transplant cells from Fidyka’s nose to his spine, along with a bit of nervous tissue from his ankle. The olfactory ensheathing cells taken from the nose are key, because they’re the only cells in the nervous system that regenerate as we age through adulthood.
According to the Beeb, Fidyka has a long way to go, but he can now walk with some assistance outside the hospital.
Source: Truthdig
