Inner Ear Hair Cell Regeneration — Maybe We Can Know More

#451
Raindance74 said:
I read on their website they predicted stem cells treatments by the year 2020. It makes me wonder why they cant just transplant a human donor cochlea when they have transplant so many other organs.
Click to expand...
where did you read about stem cell treatments by the year of 2020?

Greets Tom
 
#454
Raindance74 said:
I wrote an email to Dr Heller years ago (2010?) and he responded that he predicts ten years before clincial trial, so that would have been the year 2020.
Click to expand...

Stem cell treatments with adult Mesenchymal stem cells are already in place.

Stem cell treatments with embryonic stem cells will not take place until many, many years from now.
 
#455
Raindance74 said:
I wrote an email to Dr Heller years ago (2010?) and he responded that he predicts ten years before clincial trial, so that would have been the year 2020.
Click to expand...

Hi Raindance,
thanks for clearing. Stefan Heller is a top notch researcher in stem cells. But unfortunately he had
to correct his estimations recently, because they discovered more complexity.
I think cure hearing loss with stem cells would be the ultimate solution, but also the most difficult one.
here it's the blog about his new estimations:
https://hearinglosscure.stanford.ed...l-like-cells-from-human-embryonic-stem-cells/
more about the Heller Lab Work
http://hellerlab.stanford.edu/2014/07/july-update/

I guess (my personal opinion) that there will be some other approaches which might come sooner.
Molecular or Gene Therapy approaches:
https://hearinglosscure.stanford.edu/research/

Over all, Stefan Heller's work is absolutely great and every new finding will help to know more
about inner ear. If they could regrow inner ear hair cells using stem cells, they would absolutely
understand the whole process and this would be the holy grail!

Greets Tom
 
#456
attheedgeofscience said:
Autologous non-cultured stem cells (pros & cons)

1. "Zero" rejection risk
2. Volume of stem cells may be less than for cultured expansions
3. Stem cells are ususally re-introduced directly after stem cell harvest (from fat tissue in the belly region) which means that the stem cells are wasted on the injuries caused by the liposuction.
4. Surgical procedure is required ie. the liposuction (not so for umbilical cord stem cells which are obviously donated stem cells - unless you had your own stored at birth).
5. You get a free liposuction (whether you need it or not... :)) - if you are athletic with little body fat, then you need to put on some weight (not often you will hear that - especially from doctors).

Autologous culture expanded stem cells (pros & cons)

1. Low rejection risk, but stem cells can develop a non-autologous "footprint" when undergoing an expansion process (= still possible to experience rejection even though it is your own stem cells).
2. High volume stem cells.
3. Stem cells are re-introduced later on - giving your liposuction wounds a chance to heal on its own.
4. Long treatment procedure required (ie. expansion process ususally takes 20-30 days - hence requiring you to stay in country or travel back and forth).

Umbilical cord stem cells (pros & cons)

1. Usually donated stem cells.
2. Low rejection risk even though these are non-autologous.
3. Procedure is "super-easy" because everything is prepared for you in advance; basically it is "plug & play"...
4. No need for liposuction.
5. Stem cell volume is usually lower; especially for umbilical cord blood stem cells as opposed to umbilical cord stem cells. However some hospitals do deliver a high volume eg. Hope Hospital China (but which I don't recommend for other reasons).



At this point, I have shared much information about the procedures and stem cell information in general (via all my posts). So in my opinion, it is now time for you to start contacting some of the stem cell clinics directly for their opinion. Your decision to go ahead with a procedure should not be based on my information alone; my information should only be used as a "source of inspiration". Your final decision should be made after having consulted with various stem cell clinics - thereby getting a feel of their input and feedback also, as well as the price, location, and procedure pros & cons.

I don't really want to be part of a decision making process. The reason is quite simple: you may end up not getting the results you had hoped for. In which case I don't want to be the one to blame.



No problem. Will send you my details shortly - although I cannot really provide much more insight than I have already done. I can forward you the details of the stem cell clinics I have been in contact with and the resource organization I used for my stem cell treatment in Bangkok. The resource organization maintains an inventory of stem cell clinics around the world which must live up to strict protocols before they can become part of the list. Be aware however, that you will not find many clinics available for hearing loss and/or tinnitus treatments as this is considered experimental (even by stem cell therapy standards).
Click to expand...

I would like to make a clarification regarding one or two pieces of information above (I had a telephone call earlier this week with the stem cell clinic I received my first treatment at). The clarification is:

1) It is true that stem cells will travel back to the site of injury if stem cells are harvested from body fat and re-introduced immediately afterwards. But that is also why the stem cell clinic will do what they call a "mini-liposuction" - which is not invasive and will not create the same degree of emergency response within the body. For this reason, the stem cells upon re-introduction, are not wasted in this case. It is also possible to do a proper liposuction - which will increase the amount of fat collected. This will therefore increase the number of stem cells which can harvested (> 1 billion) and hence there will be enough for 3-4 future stem cell treatments. In such a scenario, the patient will have to wait a 3-4 weeks before receiving the first batch of stem cells...
2) While the stem cell count for my first stem cell treatment was relatively low (at just 20 million stem cells), they used something called highly purified umbilical cord blood stem cells. I also received cytoplasmic peptide injections (known as growth factors) which trigger a release of the body's own stem cells from the bone marrow - and these help guide the injected stem cells to the site injury within the body (eg. liver injury, arthritis in the knee, cochlear damage, etc.). For this reason the therapy was much more focused than traditional stem cell therapy. The injected stem cells - in my case - also had a much higher replication factor due to the potency of the stem cells they use (ie. purified stem cells = higher potency than autologous stem cells harvested from body fat which contain a lot of "residue").
 
#465
#467
#469
Hi all,

I just have become a member. And I cannot believe my eyes that you guys are so dedicated and active!!

I am saying this because I have multiplicity of conditions. I had a mild Meniere's which always reacted well to corticosteroids and forgot about me for 3 years. In my last injection something went wrong. First while in injection, I started hearing the load roar of the tinnitus (Imagine I actually heard the tinnitus starting!), instantly my higher frequencies crashed. I told the doc: "something is going wrong!"... After days hyperacusis started, fullness crept into and then dizziness, and then eye blurring and then eye pain... It is unimaginable what inner ear is capable of!!!! I suspected it was a gentamicin administered instead of a corticosteroid... After various tests I am still undecided (some tests say yeah some no and if there is anybody interested we can talk) and I am going to the alleged top doctor just for him to tell me what I got!

Anyways I signed into that support forum that I wouldn't name it here. It is about dizziness. I asked the moderator after donating whether if we could raise money for researchers in the hair cell generation research which not only benefit vestibular patients but also the cochlear ones. (There were no research topic on regeneration!!!!) He basically replied "if we did that, then everyone would ask for money" as if there were 2 million ENTs, otoneurologists, neurotologists were working on the same condition!

Now seeing you guys very dedicated and searching deep, I smile after days.. Tinnitus, as you may imagine, was my last concern (to sum up I have unilateral tinnitus, bilateral hyperacusis, unilateral fullness, dizziness, and eye related conditions). But I just now see that you all take this very seriously instead of running a very ineffective support group where people can only gather around and cry (of course that is necessary too, but it is not the only point of what we do in a support group).

For those who wishes to understand I have been through in such a short time (I have tinnitus and etc only for 5 months):

Number of ENTs seen: 9
Audiometries: 9
Caloric tests: 2
ENGs (Electronystagmography): 3
ECocgs (Electrocochlearography): 1
VEMPss (Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials): 2
Dynamic Posturographys: 2
Allergic tests: 1
Blood tests:1

As you may imagine I acquired a great deal of research knowledge on tests that I can now read any test. Especially if they are vestibular not cochlear.

I am very...very..very excited to see those news you all have provided. I am now more optimistic thanks to you guys.. HOLD ON!
 
#470
aylp said:
Hi all,

I just have become a member. And I cannot believe my eyes that you guys are so dedicated and active!!

I am saying this because I have multiplicity of conditions. I had a mild Meniere's which always reacted well to corticosteroids and forgot about me for 3 years. In my last injection something went wrong. First while in injection, I started hearing the load roar of the tinnitus (Imagine I actually heard the tinnitus starting!), instantly my higher frequencies crashed. I told the doc: "something is going wrong!"... After days hyperacusis started, fullness crept into and then dizziness, and then eye blurring and then eye pain... It is unimaginable what inner ear is capable of!!!! I suspected it was a gentamicin administered instead of a corticosteroid... After various tests I am still undecided (some tests say yeah some no and if there is anybody interested we can talk) and I am going to the alleged top doctor just for him to tell me what I got!

Anyways I signed into that support forum that I wouldn't name it here. It is about dizziness. I asked the moderator after donating whether if we could raise money for researchers in the hair cell generation research which not only benefit vestibular patients but also the cochlear ones. (There were no research topic on regeneration!!!!) He basically replied "if we did that, then everyone would ask for money" as if there were 2 million ENTs, otoneurologists, neurotologists were working on the same condition!

Now seeing you guys very dedicated and searching deep, I smile after days.. Tinnitus, as you may imagine, was my last concern (to sum up I have unilateral tinnitus, bilateral hyperacusis, unilateral fullness, dizziness, and eye related conditions). But I just now see that you all take this very seriously instead of running a very ineffective support group where people can only gather around and cry (of course that is necessary too, but it is not the only point of what we do in a support group).

For those who wishes to understand I have been through in such a short time (I have tinnitus and etc only for 5 months):

Number of ENTs seen: 9
Audiometries: 9
Caloric tests: 2
ENGs (Electronystagmography): 3
ECocgs (Electrocochlearography): 1
VEMPss (Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials): 2
Dynamic Posturographys: 2
Allergic tests: 1
Blood tests:1

As you may imagine I acquired a great deal of research knowledge on tests that I can now read any test. Especially if they are vestibular not cochlear.

I am very...very..very excited to see those news you all have provided. I am now more optimistic thanks to you guys.. HOLD ON!
Click to expand...

Hi Aylp,
welcome on board. I'm really sorry to read about your conditions! I hope you will feel better soon.
As for thi forum, it's a great one with a lot of very nice and interesting people. I learned a lot
and also gave me great support even in the darkest moments.
Yes, we discuss a lot about research for many kinds of inner ear disorders with comes often along
with Tinnitus and Hyperacusis and and and...

I do a lot of research for informations in hair cell regeneration. It's amazing how many advances have been made in the last few years. Right now, in this moment, many top researchers meet in Sheffield for the inner ear workshop, and in November, even more will meet in Kyoto for another one. This gives hope.

For Meniere, Otonomy runs a trial:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01412177

Greets Tom
 
#471
tomytl said:
Probably the Google Calico Anti Aging Company could focus on hearing loss.
I read about their projects which is quite visionary. But there are some smart people who
probably go other ways...
Does someone know a webpage or a contact about this Calico Company, I didn't find it.
Click to expand...

And here is the new webpage of calico, california live company. Maybe they could also some research for hearing loss and tinnitus...
http://www.calicolabs.com/
 
#472
patty said:
Hello all. I just got back from an audiologist at a Tinnitus center. She gave me several tests including an inner ear hair cell test, and said that it showed the hair cells were damaged in both ears. I did not know that a test like this even existed. I know that hearing can be tested at high frequency, which she gave me. But this was a separate test. Anyone else have experience with this test or is it just bs?
Click to expand...
No. But I did have an MRI which didn't show much. I guess you have to go to some really high tech doctors or you'll just be wasting your money.
 
#473
carlover said:
Patty ,if you have High freq hearing loss then I am certain hearing aids will knock out Tinnitus while they are in buy around 70%

Without mine I would go nuts and i can hear well enough without aids. I have High freq sleight to moderate loss.
The thing with mine they are on the NHS in uk so free they have a volume control.So at night i turn the volume up to max and its weird but it makes the T about 90% less so at last I can sleep without masking of any knid.
Click to expand...
Hey carlover- Where is your hearing loss at? I was told I wouldn't be a candidate for hearing aids as my hearing loss is at a very high frequency.
 
#476
Hi all
As ATEOS said, there would be another one going for a Steam Cell treatment. Just to let you know that one will be me.

I´m leaving to Bangkok tomorow and stay there for a week. Planning to stay more time, after a discution with the doctors to see if it´s better to have the injections more seperated in time. Than all in one week time.

The protocol is to have 3 IV injctions of 200 millions adipose steam cells.

Today went to make a last audiograme, Is a diferente place from all others I went before. So it should not be used for compatasition. But is nice cause in my way to work, and they make it all the way to 12 Mhz. So this one is the oneI will use a reference for this treatment.

They are suposed to send it by mail,but nothing till now.
I will post it as ssson I get it.

Hope all goes well, not expecting to have such a good result as Clhoé did, but if i gain 20/25 db as L. Francis did I will be more than happy. Of corse needt wait.

So here goes another Guinea, Thanks ATEOS and KOZ for the inspiration

See you all
 
#477
FERNANDO GIL said:
Hi all
As ATEOS said, there would be another one going for a Steam Cell treatment. Just to let you know that one will be me.

I´m leaving to Bangkok tomorow and stay there for a week. Planning to stay more time, after a discution with the doctors to see if it´s better to have the injections more seperated in time. Than all in one week time.

The protocol is to have 3 IV injctions of 200 millions adipose steam cells.

Today went to make a last audiograme, Is a diferente place from all others I went before. So it should not be used for compatasition. But is nice cause in my way to work, and they make it all the way to 12 Mhz. So this one is the oneI will use a reference for this treatment.

They are suposed to send it by mail,but nothing till now.
I will post it as ssson I get it.

Hope all goes well, not expecting to have such a good result as Clhoé did, but if i gain 20/25 db as L. Francis did I will be more than happy. Of corse needt wait.

So here goes another Guinea, Thanks ATEOS and KOZ for the inspiration

See you all
Click to expand...

Hi Gil,

good luck for your journey! I wish you the best outcomes with this treatment!


Greets Tom
 
#479
FERNANDO GIL said:
Hi all
As ATEOS said, there would be another one going for a Steam Cell treatment. Just to let you know that one will be me.

I´m leaving to Bangkok tomorow and stay there for a week. Planning to stay more time, after a discution with the doctors to see if it´s better to have the injections more seperated in time. Than all in one week time.

The protocol is to have 3 IV injctions of 200 millions adipose steam cells.

Today went to make a last audiograme, Is a diferente place from all others I went before. So it should not be used for compatasition. But is nice cause in my way to work, and they make it all the way to 12 Mhz. So this one is the oneI will use a reference for this treatment.

They are suposed to send it by mail,but nothing till now.
I will post it as ssson I get it.

Hope all goes well, not expecting to have such a good result as Clhoé did, but if i gain 20/25 db as L. Francis did I will be more than happy. Of corse needt wait.

So here goes another Guinea, Thanks ATEOS and KOZ for the inspiration

See you all
Click to expand...

Have you arrived? Is all well? I imagine you are at the AETAS hotel right now, or...?

For those, who don't know - here is a picture of the hotel (which is seriously huge...). And the skyscrapers in Bangkok are towering into the sky...

AETAS Hotel Bangkok.jpg


AETAS Hotel Bangkok 2.jpg


And a couple of photos of the clinic (stemcells21) - located in the hotel building complex:

StemCells21.com_1.jpg


StemCells21.com_2.jpg


StemCells21.com_3.jpg


StemCells21.com_4.jpg


If it wasn't because of suffering tinnitus, the trip to Bangkok would have been fantastic. I'd love to go again. The treatment was top quality and the atmosphere perfect...
 
#480
Hey @tomytl ...Wow, amazing amount of stuff you are posting re sources/research/ideas being looked at/etc. No way I can even begin to look at it (as have to keep focused on the T aspects I'm already involved in on this TT Forum). However, please keep tabs as you are, as I believe that stem cell treatment is one of the few potential "biggies" for us longer term T folks...along with Autifony, etc. of course.
With people like you and @attheedgeofscience ...on board (and others) I feel happy that this is in good hands and if some BIG NEWS happens I will hear about it even though time restraints mean I can't follow this thread more than very sporadically. Simply...Thank you!...All.

@FERNANDO GIL ...Good luck to you Fernando and hope your every success.

@attheedgeofscience ...yeah, isn't Bangkok a trip! I did medical stuff and snooping around there three times (my wife was Thai) and it is definitely NOT bamboo huts and barefoot doctors. Most of the hospitals I went to actually looked similar to your hotel pics and make average US hospitals look like Zimbabwe throwbacks!

Again, thanks all for your indeed...'dedication' as pointed out by alyp.

Best, Zimichael
 

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