Stem Cell Therapy Trials & OA: UK first

dorcas
dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
edited 2. Aug 2010, 05:33 in Living with Arthritis archive
Thought peeps with OA might find this research by Arthritis Research UK of interest.

http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/about_us/arthritis_news/press_releases/2010/oswestry_stem_cell_trial.aspx


Iris xx

Comments

  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Iris,

    this is big hype at the moment isn't it. I thought at first I wouldn't mind being included on the trial - OA in my knees gives me some trouble and might save me having to have knee replaccements .. but then read the bit that said a period of six month’s convalescence and rehabilitation that's a long time isn't it :shock: :roll:

    Speedy
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • sturge8
    sturge8 Member Posts: 164
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Its about time OA sufferers had a treatment option other than fusion or replacement. Shame it has taken so long for someone to develop this technique. I wish them the best of luck at Oswestry and I hope to god they are successful. The 6 month rehabilitation, this is nothing. I think you are really moaning about nothing here Speed along.
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 28. Jul 2010, 05:37
    My son e-mailed me a link to an American website where an MD in San Fransisco is 'pioneering' bio- joint knee replacements.

    Pretty futuristic stuff involving tissue and tendon transfer and not at all clear where this stands globally. so I'm not holding my breath for this being available here in the near future...but at least we know that research and development into treatments to limit the damaging effects of arther is continuing.. and that has to be a good thing?.

    As for me?..I'd always be first in the queue for anything that restores or improves my mobility and quality of life!

    hope that the AR UK funded trials is successful and rolled out and that the recovery/ rehab time is shortened so that it becomes more of a realistic option for peeps with family responsibilities/ work commitments.

    Iris xx
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I don't think speedalong was moaning sturge, some of us have real lives and real problems and taking six months out of things to recover really isn't a viable option. Speedalong has also been recovering from a hip replacement over the past few weeks. How's your toe? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • sturge8
    sturge8 Member Posts: 164
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    dreamdaisy wrote:
    I don't think speedalong was moaning sturge, some of us have real lives and real problems and taking six months out of things to recover really isn't a viable option. Speedalong has also been recovering from a hip replacement over the past few weeks. How's your toe? DD

    Of course we all have real lives and problems. Are you saying the people in the trial don't have real lives or problems? I am sure in their six months rehab they will be allowed to work at a desk job for instance, i certainly don't believe they will be bed/house bound for six months. I am all for these new attempts to help people with OA. I hope fear of timely patient rehab will not put off the clinical scientists from developing the techniques. My toe and ankle are sore and always will be until help like stem cell treatment becomes mainstream. Lets not worry about the timely rehab now, lets think positive and allow the scientists to do their job.
  • marion1952
    marion1952 Member Posts: 963
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Speedy

    It does sound very interesting but it would be impossible for me (and no doubt you too, given your family commitments) to take 6 months off to take part in a research trial..gosh, it was difficult enough to juggle everything in order to have the hip operations..i

    Hope you are not overdoing things.. I went in to work yesterday morning to sort a few things out and tried not to use my crutch too much, so am paying the price today!!

    best wishes

    Marion
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Well Sturge,

    I agree it is a shame that it has taken so long for this treatment to be developed ... it is too late for my hips ....but will be great if it saves others from having such invasive surgery.

    What I was saying in my post however, is that I had wrongly assumed that this new treatment (that I have been following with interest) would have a shorter recovery period than the major ops of THR and resurface-replacement... not a longer one.

    Taking time out from work and being out of action on the family front for such a long period isn't easy. 13 years ago I had a THR left side and a couple of months ago I had a resurface-replacement - so I am used to putting the effort into rehab. However, taking time out to have these ops and recovering from them when you are in employment (and don't have a desk job) and a fulltime carer - isn't easy.

    My knees are now affected by OA ... but I don't think my fab friends and also my employer would be willing for me to go through another 6 months recovery for quite awhile ... but if you wait too long for this procedure - then the damage is too extensive and the new treatment not viable.

    You are lucky that 6 months rehab for you is easy to accommodate - I wish you well.

    Speedy
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thankyou for that Iris
    It would be wounderful if it works, maybe this is the way forward, fingers crossed.
    Barbara xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh surge, I'm sorry to hear that the soreness continues. What pain meds are you on? Are they strong enough? It doesn't sound like it, perhaps you need a review. Have you been to see a consultant yet? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • sturge8
    sturge8 Member Posts: 164
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    marion1952 wrote:
    Hi Speedy

    It does sound very interesting but it would be impossible for me (and no doubt you too, given your family commitments) to take 6 months off to take part in a research trial..gosh, it was difficult enough to juggle everything in order to have the hip operations..i

    Hope you are not overdoing things.. I went in to work yesterday morning to sort a few things out and tried not to use my crutch too much, so am paying the price today!!

    best wishes

    Marion

    For me, if the outcome was a guaranteed success, but it meant I would be incapacitated for 6 months because of round the clock rehab. I would leave my job if need be, rent my house. In fact I would do anything it took to get my ankle back to what I class as normal. 6 months out of a lifetime is nothing in my view. Anyway, what confuses me – why does it take charity donations in order to fund Arthritis Research UK stem cell trials. Would these trials have started sooner if the government stepped in and paid? Are we simply lacking funding to develop treatments, why is government funding never mentioned?
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    sturge8 wrote:
    Anyway, what confuses me – why does it take charity donations in order to fund Arthritis Research UK stem cell trials. Would these trials have started sooner if the government stepped in and paid? Are we simply lacking funding to develop treatments, why is government funding never mentioned?

    good question sturge :!: :? don't know the answers but maybe we should all be asking our MPs that very question...arthritis seems very low on the political agenda and, statistically, with more people likely to suffer from arthritis than cancer in their lifetime we do seem unfairly to always be the 'cinderella condition' when it comes to funding.

    I for one will be writing to my MP and MSP about this....

    Iris xx
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Good idea Dortcas

    I will try too - I think I fanally have the right email for him - last time I wrote it vanished into the ether, but I happened into the office the other day by chance...

    Love

    Toni xx
  • sturge8
    sturge8 Member Posts: 164
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    dorcas wrote:
    Thought peeps with OA might find this research by Arthritis Research UK of interest.

    http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/about_us/arthritis_news/press_releases/2010/oswestry_stem_cell_trial.aspx


    Iris xx

    Has this link got anything to do with what led to the trials at Oswestry?

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7339245.stm

    It's a few years old, but does mention Arthritis Research UK.
  • sharmaine
    sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Iris

    Bio technology is very interesting, however, I don't know if I'll be alive to see it on the NHS!!! If I'm lucky and my TKR lasts 15 years I'll be 69. I wonder if stem cell surgery would be advanced by then? It would mean they could take out all the metal work and let nature do the repairing. I'm prepared to spend 6 months trialling that!! I would rather undergo that than major surgery any day. It's a shame these joints don't last longer.

    Sharmaine


    dorcas wrote:
    Thought peeps with OA might find this research by Arthritis Research UK of interest.

    http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/about_us/arthritis_news/press_releases/2010/oswestry_stem_cell_trial.aspx


    Iris xx
  • sturge8
    sturge8 Member Posts: 164
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    http://www.dralanlazar.com/stem-cell-injections.html

    Just stumbled across this doctor in America who already offers stem cell injection treatment for OA. So what's the big deal with Oswestry? Why can't our doctors talk to this doctor, see what sort of results he is getting from this kind of treatment, if he is seeing favourable results, then what are we waiting for? More blue tape I guess. Is there any reason why we can't hop on a plane to the USA for a holiday, while there receive some Stem cell injections, come back home with a nice tan and a pain free, new ankle (in my case)?
  • chris7
    chris7 Bots Posts: 2,696
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Iris

    Only just caught this thread. How good to see your link and hopefully it will be a way forward for people in the future. Always good to see that they are trying alternatives which may help.

    Chris
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    sturge8 wrote:
    http://www.dralanlazar.com/stem-cell-injections.html

    Just stumbled across this doctor in America who already offers stem cell injection treatment for OA. So what's the big deal with Oswestry? Why can't our doctors talk to this doctor, see what sort of results he is getting from this kind of treatment, if he is seeing favourable results, then what are we waiting for? More blue tape I guess. Is there any reason why we can't hop on a plane to the USA for a holiday, while there receive some Stem cell injections, come back home with a nice tan and a pain free, new ankle (in my case)?

    Probably no reason why not Sturge - I know people who have remortgaged their house to pay for medical treatment not available on the NHS - perhaps you could do this or sell some possessions to fund the treatment.

    Speedy
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • hopefull
    hopefull Member Posts: 15
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    i think this new stemcell research is exciting and i would certainly prefer to keep my natural hip even if the recovery is longer.
    i also think that the nhs will introduce this sooner rather than later because it will possibly cost effective.
    news out today in the lancet describes trials in new york where they have successfully GROWN joints in rabbits using stemcells.
    just hope my arthritic hip lasts until this treatment is possible.
    there is a hospital in southhampton ( private ) that is offering treatment.
  • sturge8
    sturge8 Member Posts: 164
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hopefull wrote:
    i think this new stemcell research is exciting and i would certainly prefer to keep my natural hip even if the recovery is longer.
    i also think that the nhs will introduce this sooner rather than later because it will possibly cost effective.
    news out today in the lancet describes trials in new york where they have successfully GROWN joints in rabbits using stemcells.
    just hope my arthritic hip lasts until this treatment is possible.
    there is a hospital in southhampton ( private ) that is offering treatment.

    What is the name of the private clinic in Southampton?
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Wow!!

    I know in USA there is stem cell knee resurfacing already being done, and pioneering research into bio knee joint replacements (using chemically treated pig tendons) .....but didn't know any of the stem cell procedures were already available, privately, in the UK. :shock:

    ...so it's closer than we think?

    Iris x
  • sturge8
    sturge8 Member Posts: 164
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Its quite amazing what you can do with stem cells. I have just stumbled across this new technique for breast enlargement.

    http://www.theprivateclinic.co.uk/treatments/breast-enlargement-menu/stem-cell-enriched-breast-augmentation?gclid=CMnnxNW8mqMCFVFd4wodvD7Kqg

    I know this has nothing to do with stem cell OA, but wouldn't you just wish, you could drop into a clinic, get your joint fixed using stem cells, just as easy as you can get your breasts enlarged using stem cells. Why has stem cell techniques moved so quickly in some areas and not for joints? Are joints more difficult to fix? Is there less funding for the research – which means it takes longer to go to market?