Could MS be caused by restricted blood flow? One Italian scientist has gotten amazing results by treating blocked veins in MS patients.
Holy Crap! There could be a cure for Multiple Sclerosis (MS)! Even more remarkable, this cure could be coming from outside of the established MS research community. There isn’t agreement on the exact nature and cause of MS, but an Italian doctor, Paolo Zamboni from the University of Ferrara, has developed a theory and provided a possible treatment. Zamboni believes that most cases are caused by the build up of iron due to restricted blood flow in veins. This proposed condition, Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI), turns accepted MS theory on its head. Yet of the 65 patients Zamboni treated 73% have lived for more than two years without symptoms. Check out Zamboni’s explanation video, and a Canadian news segment on his work, after the break.
MS is a debilitating condition where the myelin sheath on nerves is slowly destroyed. Lesions (aka scleroses) form in the brain and spinal cord. During regular relapses, and over time, patients lose muscle control and neurological function. In short, MS is awful. MS is commonly regarded as an autoimmune disease with a strong genetic bias. Zamboni essentially proposes that it is a vascular disease that can be corrected fairly easily. As with angioplasty, CCSVI is treated by inserting a balloon or metal stent into a blocked vein (typically the jugular or azygos). This corrects blood flow and MS symptoms just seem to melt away. While this appears to be miraculous news for the 2.5 million sufferers world wide, the MS Society of Canada is calling for more tests and research before supporting the CCSVI theory. The National MS Society in the US acknowledges that more research is needed but encourages its members not to get tested for CCSVI or seek vascular surgery. Still, online forum discussions on the CCSVI-MS connection are rampant, and many are clamoring for surgical trials in North America.
My own skepticism about CCSVI is partially augmented by a remarkable coincidence around Zamboni’s discoveries. First, his wife Elena Ravalli began to suffer from MS in 1995. This inspired Zamboni to research the disease. Zamboni is a vascular surgeon and he just so happens to discover that MS is a vascular condition with a surgical cure. I ask myself, if an orthopedic surgeon had a spouse who developed MS, would the cure for MS magically be a bone graft?
Still, it’s hard to argue with Zamboni’s results. Using Doppler ultrasound techniques and MRI scans, he found that 90% of MS patients had deformations or damage (called strictures) to the veins draining blood from the brain. Doctors have long noted that MS patients have higher levels of iron deposits in the brain. Zamboni proposes that these deposits are not a by-product, but a key cause of MS. By opening venous strictures, he believes that iron is able to be removed from the brain and spine. 65 patients were treated by Zamboni’s team and showed remarkable improvements. Active scleroses for the group dropped from 50% to 12%, and 73% of patients had no MS symptoms after two years. Mrs. Ravalli has gone more than three years without a MS relapse.
As wonderful as these cures may appear, there is much more research to be done. 65 patients is a very small sample set. To that end, Dr. Bianca Weinstock-Guttman at SUNY Buffalo, and Dr. Mark Haacke at McMaster University in Hamilton are each pursuing separate verification of Zamboni’s work. SUNY is actively seeking 1700 adults and children (with and without MS) for studies in blood flow and iron levels using MRI and ultrasound. Haacke, a renowned expert in imaging, is requesting patients to send him MRI scans.
It’s still much too early to know if Zamboni’s CCSVI theory will be proven correct, or if there will ever be a proven surgical cure for MS. Yet the Italian doctor’s work gives hope to all of us who want to live longer and healthier. Diseases with unknown causes are the unpredictable roadblocks on the path of life. The sooner that each can be understood and cured the better all of our chances will be to live forever. Even if you’re not into the whole immortality game, work like Zamboni’s shows that given the right conditions, researchers may find completely new solutions to the problems that plague our friends and families. That’s good news for everyone.
[screen capture credit: Paolo Zamboni]
[video credit: Paolo Zamboni, CTV M5]
Comments
Stem cells are “non-specialized” cells that have the potential to form into other types of specific cells, such as blood, muscles or nerves. They are unlike “differentiated” cells which have already become whatever organ or structure they are in the body. Stem cells are present throughout our body, but more abundant in a fetus.
Medical researchers and scientists believe that stem cell therapy will, in the near future, advance medicine dramatically and change the course of disease treatment. This is because stem cells have the ability to grow into any kind of cell and, if transplanted into the body, will relocate to the damaged tissue, replacing it. For example, neural cells in the spinal cord, brain, optic nerves, or other parts of the central nervous system that have been injured can be replaced by injected stem cells. Various stem cell therapies are already practiced, a popular one being bone marrow transplants that are used to treat leukemia. In theory and in fact, lifeless cells anywhere in the body, no matter what the cause of the disease or injury, can be replaced with vigorous new cells because of the remarkable plasticity of stem cells. Biomed companies predict that with all of the research activity in stem cell therapy currently being directed toward the technology, a wider range of disease types including cancer, diabetes, spinal cord injury, and even multiple sclerosis will be effectively treated in the future. Recently announced trials are now underway to study both safety and efficacy of autologous stem cell transplantation in MS patients because of promising early results from previous trials.
History
Research into stem cells grew out of the findings of two Canadian researchers, Dr’s James Till and Ernest McCulloch at the University of Toronto in 1961. They were the first to publish their experimental results into the existence of stem cells in a scientific journal. Till and McCulloch documented the way in which embryonic stem cells differentiate themselves to become mature cell tissue. Their discovery opened the door for others to develop the first medical use of stem cells in bone marrow transplantation for leukemia. Over the next 50 years their early work has led to our current state of medical practice where modern science believes that new treatments for chronic diseases including MS, diabetes, spinal cord injuries and many more disease conditions are just around the corner.
There are a number of sources of stem cells, namely, adult cells generally extracted from bone marrow, cord cells, extracted during pregnancy and cryogenically stored, and embryonic cells, extracted from an embryo before the cells start to differentiate. As to source and method of acquiring stem cells, harvesting autologous adult cells entails the least risk and controversy.
Autologous stem cells are obtained from the patient’s own body; and since they are the patient’s own, autologous cells are better than both cord and embryonic sources as they perfectly match the patient’s own DNA, meaning that they will never be rejected by the patient’s immune system. Autologous transplantation is now happening therapeutically at several major sites world-wide and more studies on both safety and efficacy are finally being announced. With so many unrealized expectations of stem cell therapy, results to date have been both significant and hopeful, if taking longer than anticipated.
What’s been the Holdup?
Up until recently, there have been intense ethical debates about stem cells and even the studies that researchers have been allowed to do. This is because research methodology was primarily concerned with embryonic stem cells, which until recently required an aborted fetus as a source of stem cells. The topic became very much a moral dilemma and research was held up for many years in the US and Canada while political debates turned into restrictive legislation. Other countries were not as inflexible and many important research studies have been taking place elsewhere. Thankfully embryonic stem cells no longer have to be used as much more advanced and preferred methods have superseded the older technologies. While the length of time that promising research has been on hold has led many to wonder if stem cell therapy will ever be a reality for many disease types, the disputes have led to a number of important improvements in the medical technology that in the end, have satisfied both sides of the ethical issue.
CCSVI Clinic
CCSVI Clinic has been on the leading edge of MS treatment for the past several years. We are the only group facilitating the treatment of MS patients requiring a 10-day patient aftercare protocol following neck venous angioplasty that includes daily ultrasonography and other significant therapeutic features for the period including follow-up surgeries if indicated. There is a strict safety protocol, the results of which are the subject of an approved IRB study. The goal is to derive best practice standards from the data. With the addition of ASC transplantation, our research group has now preparing application for member status in International Cellular Medicine Society (ICMS), the globally-active non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of cell-based medical therapies through education of physicians and researchers, patient safety, and creating universal standards. For more information please visit http://www.neurosurgeonindia.org/
Hi
Thanks for the informative post and I do find it very interesting. I have been living with MS for the past ten years. I find this article very interesting because it seem that iron in the brain might be a cause for MS?
Just a few thoughts that come to mind and that I would like to share:
1.If iron in the blood is the culprit, then why are more women than men diagnosed with MS. It is a common fact that women need to supplement their Iron levels because of the fact they lose iron when bleeding. Theoretically speaking they should have lower iron levels than men.
2. Interestingly enough, before I had my first symptoms of MS, I had problems with fatigue. After a visit to the doctor and a few blood tests, the only thing that showed, was that the iron levels in my blood samples were really low. A very uncommon occurrence in men.
Just wondering if perhaps low levels of iron may be a factor to people getting MS?
After 6 months of offering stem cell therapy in combination with the venous angioplasty liberation procedure, patients of CCSVI Clinic have reported excellent health outcomes. Ms. Kasma Gianopoulos of Athens Greece, who was diagnosed with the Relapsing/Remitting form of MS in 1997 called the combination of treatments a “cure”. “I feel I am completely cured” says Ms. Gianopoulos, “my symptoms have disappeared and I have a recovery of many functions, notably my balance and my muscle strength is all coming (back). Even after six months, I feel like there are good changes happening almost every day. Before, my biggest fear was that the changes wouldn’t (hold). I don’t even worry about having a relapse anymore. I’m looking forward to a normal life with my family. I think I would call that a miracle.”
Other recent MS patients who have had Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT), or stem cell therapy have posted videos and comments on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFQr2eqm3Cg.
Dr. Avneesh Gupte, the Neurosurgeon at Noble Hospital performing the procedure has been encouraged by results in Cerebral Palsy patients as well. “We are fortunate to be able to offer the treatment because not every hospital is able to perform these types of transplants. You must have the specialized medical equipment and specially trained doctors and nurses”. With regard to MS patients, “We are cautious, but nevertheless excited by what patients are telling us. Suffice to say that the few patients who have had the therapy through us are noticing recovery of neuro deficits beyond what the venous angioplasty only should account for”.
Dr. Unmesh of Noble continues: “These are early days and certainly all evidence that the combination of liberation and stem cell therapies working together at this point is anecdotal. However I am not aware of other medical facilities in the world that offer the synthesis of both to MS patients on an approved basis and it is indeed a rare opportunity for MS patients to take advantage of a treatment that is quite possibly unique in the world”.
Autologous stem cell transplantation is a procedure by which blood-forming stem cells are removed, and later injected back into the patient. All stem cells are taken from the patient themselves and cultured for later injection. In the case of a bone marrow transplant, the HSC are typically removed from the Pelvis through a large needle that can reach into the bone. The technique is referred to as a bone marrow harvest and is performed under a general anesthesia. The incidence of patients experiencing rejection is rare due to the donor and recipient being the same individual.This remains the only approved method of the SCT therapy.
Question: Why veins in the brain
are with strictures?
Question: Why veins in the brain
are with strictures?
As far as this being a cure for MS I think that does need to be further researched. As far as it allowing improved blood circulation to my brain I am ready for it right now. That would seem to be common sense. If I have restricted flow to my brain I would like that fixed immediately. What would be the harm in that. I will stay on my MS meds until it is further determined that this procedure has cured my MS or not. Keep it simple folks!
As far as this being a cure for MS I think that does need to be further researched. As far as it allowing improved blood circulation to my brain I am ready for it right now. That would seem to be common sense. If I have restricted flow to my brain I would like that fixed immediately. What would be the harm in that. I will stay on my MS meds until it is further determined that this procedure has cured my MS or not. Keep it simple folks!
Are there any cases where this procedure didn’t work? And is there a way to find the patients to and ask them how they reacted to it? Also, did anyone die from it?
My fiance was diagnosed with MS in 2008 and he’s very interested in this procedure. I just need to know (as a very concerned caregiver and soon-to-be wife) if this could kill him and if it’ll work. I don’t want him to get killed or have his MS exacerbated even more. Anyone have any info?
Ami
Yes Ami you can come visit us at the link and ask any questions you like.
Are there any cases where this procedure didn’t work? And is there a way to find the patients to and ask them how they reacted to it? Also, did anyone die from it?
My fiance was diagnosed with MS in 2008 and he’s very interested in this procedure. I just need to know (as a very concerned caregiver and soon-to-be wife) if this could kill him and if it’ll work. I don’t want him to get killed or have his MS exacerbated even more. Anyone have any info?
Ami
Yes Ami you can come visit us at the link and ask any questions you like.
That MS is a symptom rather than a disease, is not only an intrguing prospect, but a VERY logical one as well. In keeping with the essence of research, further study is definitely warranted.
That MS is a symptom rather than a disease, is not only an intrguing prospect, but a VERY logical one as well. In keeping with the essence of research, further study is definitely warranted.
My sister has had MS for 20 years. She has been an absolute piller of strength and inspiration………..Just
recently her 19 year old son has been
diagnosed. This new discovery is joyfully welcomed and looking forward to treatment.
My sister has had MS for 20 years. She has been an absolute piller of strength and inspiration………..Just
recently her 19 year old son has been
diagnosed. This new discovery is joyfully welcomed and looking forward to treatment.
I’ve had MS for 35 years. I went to Sanford for CCSVI. After testing, it was found I do not have blocked veins and I was sent home untreated. The proedure may helpp many…but not me.
Oh muffin!
I’ve had MS for 35 years. I went to Sanford for CCSVI. After testing, it was found I do not have blocked veins and I was sent home untreated. The proedure may helpp many…but not me.
Oh muffin!
I am curious whether iron levels in the brain are reduced after such a treatment. There is no mention of it in the article. Only the cessation of symptoms is mentioned. If iron levels did in fact go down it would go a long way towards proving Zambonies theory.
I am curious whether iron levels in the brain are reduced after such a treatment. There is no mention of it in the article. Only the cessation of symptoms is mentioned. If iron levels did in fact go down it would go a long way towards proving Zambonies theory.
Coyoti,
The MS Society is an ad hoc arm of Big Pharma (their job is to collect advertising dollars and keep patients away from all competing alternative ideas and therapies) so your skepticism is warranted.
(Sage, optimism is good, but pushed too far away from caution runs it right into naive.)
Coyoti,
The MS Society is an ad hoc arm of Big Pharma (their job is to collect advertising dollars and keep patients away from all competing alternative ideas and therapies) so your skepticism is warranted.
(Sage, optimism is good, but pushed too far away from caution runs it right into naive.)
In regards to the comment “Zamboni is a vascular surgeon and he just so happens to discover that MS is a vascular condition with a surgical cure.”: Another way to look at it is that MS *was* a vascular condition, but since no one was looking at it that way, it took a vascular surgeon to come along and look at it in a new way, the only way he knew how, from his perspective. Not saying this is necessarily the case, just thought I’d provide the ‘half full’ view.
I wish you could edit your posts… that sounded moronic.
if it makes you feel any better, I understand the point you’re making .. ie, there’s no evidence that non-vascular types have not looked for non-vascular cures and not found those .. so I’d say the article’s author’s reason for skepticism is not necessarily a good one (not that there aren’t reasons to be skeptical). +, this post probably sounds moronic, too .. and that’s what anonymity is for
In regards to the comment “Zamboni is a vascular surgeon and he just so happens to discover that MS is a vascular condition with a surgical cure.”: Another way to look at it is that MS *was* a vascular condition, but since no one was looking at it that way, it took a vascular surgeon to come along and look at it in a new way, the only way he knew how, from his perspective. Not saying this is necessarily the case, just thought I’d provide the ‘half full’ view.
I wish you could edit your posts… that sounded moronic.
if it makes you feel any better, I understand the point you’re making .. ie, there’s no evidence that non-vascular types have not looked for non-vascular cures and not found those .. so I’d say the article’s author’s reason for skepticism is not necessarily a good one (not that there aren’t reasons to be skeptical). +, this post probably sounds moronic, too .. and that’s what anonymity is for
My wife had surgery at Stanford and has made a remarkable recovery.
Her life has turned around 100% but no one is claiming a cure.
Love the blog by the way I read every day and was excited to see this hit this blog it really is paradigm changing.
Of course more research needs to be done hopefully media attention can accelerate that and let it stand and fall on its scientific merits.
Delighted to hear your wife is a lot better – I wonder what tests did your wife have before the surgery?
regards
`gerard
My wife had surgery at Stanford and has made a remarkable recovery.
Her life has turned around 100% but no one is claiming a cure.
Love the blog by the way I read every day and was excited to see this hit this blog it really is paradigm changing.
Of course more research needs to be done hopefully media attention can accelerate that and let it stand and fall on its scientific merits.
Delighted to hear your wife is a lot better – I wonder what tests did your wife have before the surgery?
regards
`gerard
@sage I didn’t offer a theory, you make an assumption. I asked a question. I think it’s an important question. People can get settled into an institution with institutional thought without having bad intentions. My wife’s mother died of MS and as contributors to that society, I want them to aggressively support all valid lines of research and I believe this is one of them, at least enough to pay for larger trials. I’ll judge them by their actions.
at coyotl – and I don’t believe I accused you of posing a theory or assuming. Read my comment carefully. No need to get defensive. I only stated my own belief (or lack thereof) regarding conspiracy theories.
coyotl. In case you’re not aware, many people do believe in the theory that the MS Society, current MS drug manufacturers and even MS neurologists don’t want MS to be cured because it would put them out of business. I don’t believe in those theories, but I think someone reading your post could very reasonably come to the conclusion that you do. Are you clearly stating now that you don’t buy into those conspiracy theories?
As far as this CCSVI, I’d say it sounds interesting based on these very preliminary reports. I’d like to see data published in a jounal so others can review the data and see if they make the same conclusions. I’ve had MS long enough that I no longer get excited when something sounds promising early on. It almost always leads to disappointment. I hope this treatment is an exception to that rule.
Fred, I do not know what the truth is. I don’t believe that any of the MS societies, nevermind all of them, have dishonorable intent. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to blissfully ignore the possibility that their are possible conflicts of interest that could influence what treatments or trials get attention. Like I told sage, I will judge by actions, not declarations of intent. Is that fair enough? All I care about is keeping my wife and my son safe from this disease that took her mother.
@sage I didn’t offer a theory, you make an assumption. I asked a question. I think it’s an important question. People can get settled into an institution with institutional thought without having bad intentions. My wife’s mother died of MS and as contributors to that society, I want them to aggressively support all valid lines of research and I believe this is one of them, at least enough to pay for larger trials. I’ll judge them by their actions.
at coyotl – and I don’t believe I accused you of posing a theory or assuming. Read my comment carefully. No need to get defensive. I only stated my own belief (or lack thereof) regarding conspiracy theories.
coyotl. In case you’re not aware, many people do believe in the theory that the MS Society, current MS drug manufacturers and even MS neurologists don’t want MS to be cured because it would put them out of business. I don’t believe in those theories, but I think someone reading your post could very reasonably come to the conclusion that you do. Are you clearly stating now that you don’t buy into those conspiracy theories?
As far as this CCSVI, I’d say it sounds interesting based on these very preliminary reports. I’d like to see data published in a jounal so others can review the data and see if they make the same conclusions. I’ve had MS long enough that I no longer get excited when something sounds promising early on. It almost always leads to disappointment. I hope this treatment is an exception to that rule.
Fred, I do not know what the truth is. I don’t believe that any of the MS societies, nevermind all of them, have dishonorable intent. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to blissfully ignore the possibility that their are possible conflicts of interest that could influence what treatments or trials get attention. Like I told sage, I will judge by actions, not declarations of intent. Is that fair enough? All I care about is keeping my wife and my son safe from this disease that took her mother.
I wonder, relating to MS societies’ support for various research, what happens to MS societies once a hypothetical cure is found that works? Do they dissolve into dust or is there a purpose for them afterwards? How much vested interest is there for society administrators and staff to maintain their societies’ existences after their main purpose (which I assume is eliminating MS) is gone?
At coyotl… they’ll just move on to other causes that require their dedication, blood, sweat and tears. There’s more than one disease out there. I don’t believe in the conspiracy theory.
wow! Took the words right out of my mouth
I wonder, relating to MS societies’ support for various research, what happens to MS societies once a hypothetical cure is found that works? Do they dissolve into dust or is there a purpose for them afterwards? How much vested interest is there for society administrators and staff to maintain their societies’ existences after their main purpose (which I assume is eliminating MS) is gone?
At coyotl… they’ll just move on to other causes that require their dedication, blood, sweat and tears. There’s more than one disease out there. I don’t believe in the conspiracy theory.
wow! Took the words right out of my mouth
Please remove the word “cure”…Dr. Zamboni never said this. At best, CCSVI is the causation of MS, but this process of reflux, hypoxic injury and iron deposition damages brain tissue, perhaps permanently. That is why we are urgently asking MS societies and universities to further fund and study CCSVI today.
Please remove the word “cure”…Dr. Zamboni never said this. At best, CCSVI is the causation of MS, but this process of reflux, hypoxic injury and iron deposition damages brain tissue, perhaps permanently. That is why we are urgently asking MS societies and universities to further fund and study CCSVI today.
And it is exactly this kind of headline that has confused people with MS so much that they are going off their treatments. Not once has Dr. Zamboni called it a cure. This term has come from the media.
And it is exactly this kind of headline that has confused people with MS so much that they are going off their treatments. Not once has Dr. Zamboni called it a cure. This term has come from the media.