In February 2018, the patient suffered a motorcycle accident. MRI showed C6, C7 spinal cord was completely damaged, disrupting the body's vital communication pathways between the brain and the rest of the body. The moments following the accident were a race against time. Thanks to the heroic and immediate efforts of the medical team, the patient received emergency treatment within 24 hours, narrowly clinging to life. Patient performed a tracheotomy 12 days after the injury. However, 12 days after the injury, the patient's condition was still precarious, necessitating a tracheotomy to assist with breathing.
As days turned into weeks, the patient's reality was one of extreme hardship. Before treatment, they were completely dependent on others for every aspect of daily life, with only the ability to eat and speak as a glimmer of normalcy in an otherwise shattered existence. Their world had shrunk to the confines of a hospital bed, filled with pain, uncertainty, and a growing sense of despair.
On August 14th, 2018, there was a glimmer of new hope as the patient was admitted to our stem cell treatment center in Beijing. Here, a dedicated team of medical professionals stands ready to embark on a journey to help the patient reclaim their life.
1. No sensation below the injury level. Bowel and bladder functions are absent, and sweating function is lost.
2. Weak strength in the arms and waist. High muscle tone in the lower limbs.
3. Suffers from severe malnutrition with muscle atrophy.
4. Dry skin accompanied by severe desquamation.
Outcomes After the First Course of Treatment
1. The day after the first surgery, the patient often experiences sweating on the head, and there is also slight sweating around the navel.
2. Arm strength has been significantly enhanced. The patient can move freely while sitting and can reach their mouth.
3. One finger on the left hand can make slight movements.
4. Appetite has improved, weight has increased, and nutritional status has been better.
5. The size of bedsores has decreased.
6. Desquamation has lessened.
Outcomes After the First Course of Treatment (30 days)
1. The head can swing freely.
2. Arm strength is further enhanced. In a sitting position, the patient can easily move the arm and touch the mouth. There is also a slight recovery of sensation in the second thumb of the left hand.
3. Bedsores have improved. Appetite has increased, and the patient's weight has gone up by nearly 1 kg.
Outcomes After the Second Course of Treatment
Progress Summary & Future Outlook
After undergoing surgical treatment, the patient's physical functions have gradually improved.
Judging from the current positive progress, the future treatment prospects are relatively optimistic. In terms of motor function recovery, it is expected that through continuous treatment and rehabilitation training, the arm strength can be further enhanced, and the movement and sensory functions of more fingers of the left hand can be restored. It may even be possible to achieve more complex fine hand movements, thus greatly improving the patient's self-care ability and enabling the patient to independently complete more daily activities. At the same time, it is recommended that subsequent treatment can consider combining physical therapy, assisted training with rehabilitation equipment, and personalized nutrition plans to comprehensively promote the recovery of the patient's physical functions and help the patient return to a normal life as soon as possible.
More detailed stories about Aqib’s treatment (click here)
Football Boy-Sunshine 19 Years Old
Aqib is from a small city in Pakistan and is a sunny boy. He loves sports since childhood, especially football. He is also an excellent goalkeeper. At the end of 2017, 19-year-old Aqib had just completed the university entrance exam, and soon he was going to a university in Islamabad to go to college.
On February 18, 2018, Aqib rode his motorcycle to his home as usual. However, no one thought that he had a sudden disaster. Aqib had an accident on the road. As it was dark, when he turned, he accidentally ran into a big rock, and he might ride a little faster. He was thrown a few meters away and fell to the ground and lost consciousness. When he woke up, he could not remember how he was injured. Who sent him to the hospital. But he clearly felt that the limbs had not been heard at all, and the pain in the injured area made him unable to sleep. The elderly parents couldn't help but cry when they sat on the bed. He was the only son of his parents. This disaster made them feel that the sky would fall.
In order to cure Aqib, the parents' savings are quickly spent, and relatives and friends have tried to help the family and help to consult the hospital for high paraplegia. In mid-March, Aqib had a tracheal operation in the neck of Islamabad. This operation was very successful, allowing Aqib to eat and talk normally, but he couldn't do anything except that he could only lie in bed every day.
Aqib's brother, Wazir, searched for a Chinese military hospital on Google. There were many cases of patients who used stem cells to treat spinal cord injury, and he saw hope. He immediately contacted the hospital staff and gave all the medical materials of Aqib to the stem cell expert Cheng Hongbin. In order to further let the experts know about Aqib, Wazir contacted the old student Masood who studied at the Communication University of China and personally went to the Armed Police General Hospital. Neurosurgery and Dr. Cheng Hongbin communicated with Aqib through video links. According to Cheng Hongbin's 17 years of work experience, Aqib has a short injury time, a serious condition and a young age. It is very suitable for stem cell therapy and hopes to improve in terms of limb movement and second stool. After listening to Dr. Cheng’s advice, for them, they will not give up as long as there is hope. After the video, Aqib's family set out to prepare for treatment in Beijing. Because the treatment cost is not enough, the relatives will not hesitate to buy the land and put the money together.
On August 13, 2018, Aqib, accompanied by two uncles, embarked on a journey to seek medical care in Beijing. When the plane landed, the business vehicle arranged by the hospital staff was directly sent to the hospital. Dr. Cheng spent an hour and a half to learn more about Aqib's condition and answering doubts. He finally decided to arrange ablation and vascular intervention for Aqib. Due to the serious condition of Aqib, in order to provide Aqib with the best care and rehabilitation training during the treatment period, the hospital decided to arrange Aqib at Yingzhi Rehabilitation Center and receive stem cell treatment at the Armed Police General Hospital. Professional and appropriate rehabilitation can help him better. Absorbing stem cells.
For patients with high paraplegia, self-perspiration is a luxury, and Aqib after injury has been confused by the inability to perspire. The miracle really happened. At noon after the first lumbar puncture on August 17, Aqib, who had just finished eating lunch, suddenly felt sweaty on his head. The uncle around him wiped his forehead with a towel. Immediately after the vascular intervention, Aqib's body slowly changed. At the time of discharge, Aqib clearly felt very good, and the arm could be lifted up for 5 minutes and then held for 10 minutes. After the event, he also increased his appetite, and he has more confidence in the future.
In mid-September, about a month after Aqib returned to China, Aqib’s family continued to share good news with hospital staff. Aqib can swing his head freely and chat with his family. The arm can be raised and touched to the mouth, and the arm can move freely for a longer period of time. Aqib's wish is to pick up the beloved football again, and we bless him together.
(pic 7)
