Spinal cord injury (SCI) at an early age can be debilitating for the child’s growth. Current treatments show a level of stagnancy, after which the recovery is minimal. Cellular therapy is an emerging area of research and has been found to possess many benefits in the previous studies. Transplantation of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) has demonstrated therapeutic potential for many neurological conditions, including spinal cord injury. Here we report a case of 6-year-old girl with traumatic SCI at the level of C7-D1 4 years back, who underwent 2 doses of cell transplantation with autologous BMMNCs with an interval of 6 months along with standard rehabilitation. The patient did not have any major or minor side effects. The patient showed clinical improvements throughout the 6 months after transplantation, which was assessed using Functional Independence Measure (before: 82, after: 101 out of 126). There were patchy areas of sensory gain in bilateral feet recorded, with improvements in the bladder sensation and control. Improved gait was seen as a result of better strength in abdominals and back extensors. The fact that there was functional improvement in the chronic plateau phase indicates the potential of cell therapy in chronic SCI. Further clinical studies are warranted. 1. Introduction Spinal cord injury (SCI) at an early age is very debilitating for the child in every aspect of life, since it hinders their physical, emotional, and social growth [1]. The major cause of this event is road traffic accidents. Other causes include falls, sports injuries, or violence [2]. Spinal cord injuries are complex, as the central nervous system has a limited capability of regeneration [3]. In spinal cord injury, there is a partial or total disruption of the ascending and descending tracts, which carry information to and from the brain. This poses a great challenge for the health professionals involved in the rehabilitation team, as regeneration needs to happen in between the nerve fibers of the two stumps of the cord [2]. The levels of spinal cord injury may vary, with cervical spine injury leading to quadriplegia; and thoracic and lumbar injuries leads to paraplegia [2]. One of the recent and developing options in improving the condition of patients with neurologically compromised conditions, including spinal cord injury, is cellular therapy. Autologous bone marrow cells have been deemed to be relatively safe option for treating this group of patients. Their effects have been seen in many of the ongoing clinical studies. They are free from any
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