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] In March 2016, the medical centre that helped Fidyka regain neural function of his limbs announced they are looking for two people to help confirm the treatment in a trial; the trial will be independently assessed.[7]

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.[8] 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.[8]

In 2016, Fidyka could cycle a tricycle.[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 Walsh (Medical correspondent), Fergus (4 March 2016). "The paralysed man who can ride a bike". bbc.co.uk. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2016. A year ago I would not have been able to ride a tricycle. Now I can feel each muscle and each press of the foot on the pedals.
  8. 1 2 "Paralysed man who walked again visits the UK". BBC. 1 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.

External links

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