Nerul Navi Mumbai based Neurogen Brain and Spine Institute (Nerogen BSI) are offering new hope through stem cell therapy and rehabilitation for patients suffering from muscular dystrophy, an incurable debilitating disease. Briefing reporters here on Wednesday, surgical services head Dr Richa Bansod said, Neurogen BSI has been set-up to help patients suffering from incurable neurological disorders and provide relief from physical disabilities through stem cell therapy. Till date, the organisation has successfully treated over 6000 patients from over 60 countries.
She said that Neurogen BSI would be organising a free workshop-cum-OPD consultation camp on October 21, 2018 in Bhopal for patients of neurological disorders residing in Madhya Pradesh. This camp is being organised to help patients suffering from spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, autism, cerebral palsy, etc. Muscular Dystrophy is the most common disease among children. Duchenne muscular dystrophy, affects approximately one in every 3,500 to 6,000 male births each year according to the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA.
In India too, a rising number of cases of muscular dystrophy has been reported. During the press conference, she presented case study of Mayank Tiwari, a 9 and 1/2 year old boy of Narsinghpur (Madhya Pradesh) and a known case of muscular dystrophy. Mayank was a healthy baby at birth. Growth was fine in his early childhood days, it was only when, Mayank suffered from bouts of weakness in his body at the age of 6, that his parents realized that something was not right.
Without wasting time they took him to a doctor in Jabalpur who diagnosed him with muscular dystrophy using genetic screening and conducting diagnostic tests such as CPK. Mayank was initially administered allopathic medicines but his family realized, they were not working and Mayank’s disorder was increasing day by day. He was also prescribed Ayurvedic medicines for about a year.
Meanwhile, Mayank’s father Dev Narayan Tiwari, a priest, learned about Neurogen via YouTube and contacted them. Upon consulting doctors, Mayank’s family took him to Neurogen BSI and the treatment began in early 2018. All preliminary assessments, stem cell therapy and neuro rehabilitation were conducted. His father said, Mayank’s mobility had reduced. He was unable to walk, run and climb stairs without support and stopped going to school.
According to Dr Bansod, after a week of rigorous treatment and training including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, aquatic therapy, etc, Mayank returned home. As suggested by doctors, Mayank carried out post-treatment neuro-rehabilitation at home and gradually started showing improvement in terms of slowing the pace of disorder progression and later on decent amount of symptomatic relief.
“He has now started going to school again, with increased ability to move, walk and commute, increased social interaction and activities, emotionally uplifted and overall health and quality of life,” Tiwari said adding that about Rs 2.50 lakh were spent on his son’s treatment at Mumbai.