A 54-year-old Brazilian woman who lost movement on one side of her body and the ability to speak following a brain hemorrhage has recovered both functions after receiving an experimental stem cell injection at a hospital in Rio de Janeiro.
Physicians at Pro-Cardiaco Hospital administered the stem cells directly into the brain of Maria da Graca Pomeceno five days after the hemorrhage. The procedure was conducted in collaboration with the Federal University of Rio and marks the first time this approach has been tested in Brazil.
Hans Fernando Dohmann, the hospital's director, said the result suggests stem cells may aid recovery from vascular brain damage. He cautioned that a single case cannot confirm the therapy will perform as well in other patients, adding that the team is still focused on safety rather than measuring effectiveness.
The trial is set to expand to 14 additional patients.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in November 2004, in its own words.