Bangalore hospital claims successful stemcell transplant for traumatic brain injury

A team of neurosurgeons led by NK Venkataramana, chief neurosurgeon and vice-chairman of superspeciality hospital BGS Global, is reported to have successfully completed brain stem cell transplant on a 27-year old woman - the first such brain transplant in the country.

The woman, Madhu Mallika, who sustained severe brain injury in an accident last year, has been suffering from severe disability for the past one year following an accident, the report said.

"The patient was suffering from altered sensorium, severe cognitive dysfunction and lack of movement in limbs. Following the surgery, she has now regained full consciousness, memory, communication abilities and purposive movements in limbs," Venkataramana said.

He said the doctors had initially given the patient, admitted in an unconscious state with severe injury, only 20 per cent chances for survival.

"It was perplexing that the woman did not show any improvement despite all available treatment in the last one year and ultimately the possibility of stemcell therapy was considered after discussions with her family and it proved successful," the chief neurosurgeon said.

"This is an eye opener that there is a possibility of reactivating brain cells following injury with very gratifying clinical results. To our knowledge such attempts were made only in China. This is the first attempt in the country and India is the second country in the world to use such therapy," he said.