title: Olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation improves sympathetic skin responses in chronic spinal cord injury.
abstract: Forty-three patients with chronic spinal cord injury for over 6 months were transplanted with bryonic olfactory ensheathing cells, 2-4 × 10(6), into multiple sites in the injured area under the surgical microscope. The sympathetic skin response in patients was measured with an electromyography/evoked potential instrument 1 day before transplantation and 3-8 weeks after transtion. Spinal nerve function of patients was assessed using the American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale. The sympathetic skin response was elicited in 32 cases before olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation, while it was observed in 34 cases after transplantation. tantly, sympathetic skin response latency decreased significantly and amplitude increased cantly after transplantation. Transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells also improved American Spinal Injury Association scores for movement, pain and light touch. Our findings indicate that factory ensheathing cell transplantation improves motor, sensory and autonomic nerve functions in patients with chronic spinal cord injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Taian Central Hospital, Taian 271000, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Zuncheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Taian Central Hospital, Taian 271000, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Guifeng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Taian Central Hospital, Taian 271000, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Yuexia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine and Spinal Cord, Taian Rongjun Hospital, Taian 271000, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Shugang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wei
keywords: autonomic nerve; cell tation; clinical practice; neural regeneration; neurological function; neuroregeneration; olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation; olfactory ensheathing cells; paralysis; spinal cord injury; sympathetic skin response