With a stunning new discovery, Bulgaria may have cracked the code to the outstanding problem of paralyzed people who are unable to move. Since the beginning of time, once a traumatic event occurred to an individual such as a paralyzing car crash or a sports injury to the spine, it was utterly hopeless for these patients to walk again. Such heartbreaking injuries may finally be less tragic with the breakthrough discovery in Belgian patient, Darek Fidyka. According to Geoffrey Raisman, who is a professor at the University College London’s institute of neurology, Dark Fidyka received a unique cell transplant that helped him walk again using a frame (Kelland).

Using cells the olfactory bulbs that are responsible for a sense of smell, scientists have built a nerve gap in the patient’s spine to repair the damaged nerves. In the case of the olfactory bulbs that are responsible for sense of smell, the olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs ) open so that the olfactory nerve fibroblasts (ONFs) nerve fibers are able to attach. The ONC open the reattachment in the olfactory bulb and the ONFs are able to reattach. In relation to the damaged spine, surgeons have removed the OECs and from the olfactory bulbs and transplanted them into the damaged area. If scientists transplant the OEC cells into the spinal cord, then they believe it could help open the attachment sites for nerve fibers to grow again and reattach to the spinal cord (Kelland).

The breakthrough discovery could be the future for paralyzed patients, in that they may be able to follow in Dark Fidyka’s footsteps and walk again with a frame. However astounding this discovery may be, the results are not completely dependent because this study has only been performed in one patient. Dark’s ability to walk again may be due to his motivation or other compounding variables that the study did not control for. Although this study seems promising, the implications of the results from this study cannot be fully accounted for until there are more studies performed.

Kelland, Kate. “Cell Transplant Helps Paralyzed Man Walk With Frame.” Yahoo. N.p., 21 Oct. 2014.

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