Darek Fidyka

Darek Fidyka
Born c.1974
Nationality Polish
Occupation Volunteer firefighter
Known for First person to fully recover from paraplegia

Darek Fidyka (born c.1974) is a Polish firefighter and recovering paraplegic who became the first person in history to verifiably recover sensory and motor function after the complete severing of his spinal cord.[1][2] Having been paralysed from the chest down in a knife attack in 2010, Fidyka regained the ability to walk in 2014 after receiving a pioneering regenerative treatment from a British-advised Polish surgical team.[3]

Biography

Fidyka worked for many years as a volunteer firefighter in Poland.[2] In 2010, a fellow firefighter attacked Fidyka, who he believed had conducted an affair with his wife.[2] Fidyka was stabbed 18 times and suffered severe injuries, including the severing of his spinal cord, which left him paraplegic.[2] His assailant committed suicide shortly after the attack.[2]

Pioneering spinal surgery

In 2012, Fidyka began receiving treatment from a collaborative team of Polish surgeons and researchers, in collaboration with British scientists,[4] who used a pioneering technique to repair the damage to his spinal nerves.[3] Prior to this, Fidyka had no feeling in his lower body and remained unable to walk, despite undergoing an intensive rehabilitatory physiotherapy program.[3]

The treatment consisted of a series of experimental surgeries, conducted by surgeons and researchers at Wroclaw Medical University in collaboration with University College London's Institute of Neurology.[3] Funding was provided by Wroclaw Medical University and number of charitable organisations, including the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation and the UK Stem Cell Foundation.[1][5] The Polish surgical team, led by the neurosurgeon Pawel Tabakow, extracted olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) from Fidyka's olfactory bulbs and grew a cell culture sufficient to repair his damaged spinal nerves, exploiting the OECs' ability to renew damaged nerve fibres.[3] Nerve fibres from Fidyka's ankle were surgically implanted in his damaged spinal cord to provide a framework for the OECs, which were then implanted above and below the damaged area in a series of 100 separate micro-injections.[1][3] The OECs gradually regenerated Fidyka's severed nerve fibres, restoring his sensory and motor functions.[1] Darek Fidyka lives for the most part of year and has been rehabilitating in „Akson”,the Neuro-Rehabilitation Center for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries in Wroclaw, Poland where dr Tabakow also works. „Akson” is affiliated with Wroclaw Medical University.[6] „Akson” Center will accept applications for operation in Spring 2016 for 2 patients and also Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation, links below.

Recovery

Fidyka began to regain strength in his thigh muscles three months after receiving the treatment, and was able to walk in a very limited fashion within six months.[3] In October 2014, after two years of further rehabilitation, he was able to walk outside of hospital with the assistance of a frame, could drive a car, and had also regained some bladder and bowel control and sexual function.[1][3] Fidyka subsequently featured in the BBC Panorama episode "To Walk Again", which led to him receiving thousands of messages from other paraplegics seeking the same treatment.[7] In February 2015, Fidyka visited the UK to participate in Arsenal F.C.'s guard of honour and raise money for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Quinn, Ben (21 October 2014). "Paralysed man Darek Fidyka walks again after pioneering surgery". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 February 2015. [Fidyka], who is believed to be the first person in the world to recover from complete severing of the spinal nerves, can now walk with a frame and has been able to resume an independent life, even to the extent of driving a car, while sensation has returned to his lower limbs.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Revealed: The spinal-cord miracle man who was left paralysed in a knife attack was stabbed 18 times by an old friend angry over rumours of an affair with his wife". Daily Mail. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Paralysed man walks again after cell treatment". BBC. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Paralyzed man recovers some function following transplantation of OECs and nerve bridge". EurekAlert!. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  5. ↑ "Revealed: How research that let paralysed Polish fireman walk again after UK scientists used nose cells to repair his spine was bankrolled by a British father desperate to help his son". Daily Mail. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  6. ↑ http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/01/25/one-small-step-annals-of-medicine-d-t-max
  7. 1 2 "Paralysed man who walked again visits the UK". BBC. 1 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.

External links

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