Once subarachnoid hemorrhage develops, it tends to become severe, and in the worst case, it is a life-threatening disease.
The mortality rate is very high at about 50%, and even if the patient survives, the aftereffects are severe and the possibility of rebleeding increases.
In addition to that, I'm also curious about the details of regenerative medicine stem cell therapy, which has been attracting attention recently, and its effectiveness for subarachnoid hemorrhage.
This time, we will focus on subarachnoid hemorrhage, stroke, stem cell treatment, causes, and preventive methods. Subarachnoid hemorrhage can be prevented by reviewing lifestyle habits, so please refer to it.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's vital statistics for 2021, stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in Japan.
Aging and lifestyle changes have been linked to an increase in stroke. In addition, stroke is the number one cause of bedridden disease, accounting for about 39%.
Stroke is a disease in which a blood vessel in the brain is clogged or ruptured, resulting in poor blood flow and impaired function of a part of the body.
Stroke is broadly classified into three types.
● "Cerebral infarction" caused by clogged blood vessels in the brain
● Cerebral hemorrhage caused by rupture of blood vessels in the brain
● “Subarachnoid hemorrhage” is likely to develop when a bump (aneurysm) in a blood vessel in the brain ruptures.
The common symptoms of stroke are "half-body paralysis" and "disturbance of consciousness," but since the way the disease occurs is different, we will explain each.
Writing reference ①: https://www.google.com/search
table of contents
1-1. cerebral infarction
Stroke is a condition in which the brain is damaged due to blockage of a blood vessel in the brain. Because blood flow does not reach the cells of the brain, oxygen and energy are not supplied, and they die.
Cerebral infarction is classified into three major types.
(1) Lacunar infarction
A small infarct caused by a blockage of a small blood vessel branching from a larger blood vessel in the brain.
(2) Atherothrombotic cerebral infarction
It is caused by the formation of atheroma (fatty masses) inside large blood vessels such as those in the brain and neck.
(3) Cardiogenic cerebral embolism
It occurs when a clot (blood clot) that forms in the heart travels to a blood vessel in the brain and blocks it.
Writing reference ①: https://www.yokohama-shintoshi.jp/brain/nokosoku.html
1-2. cerebral hemorrhage
A cerebral hemorrhage is when a small blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds into the brain.
Bleeding blood clots and forms a hematoma, which presses on the brain. Eventually, the area around the hematoma swells and presses on the brain, leading to nausea, headache, and disturbance of consciousness. Subsequent symptoms vary depending on where the bleeding occurred.
Cerebral hemorrhage is classified into 5 types.
① putamen hemorrhage
Hemiparesis, numbness, and joint deviance in which both eyes turn to the paralyzed side are seen.
(2) Thalamic hemorrhage
Decreased sensation and thalamic pain (pain on one side of the body) may occur.
③Bridge bleeding
The eyes are fixed in the middle or the pupils are constricted.
④ Cerebellar hemorrhage
Severe pain in the back of the head, dizziness, and gait disturbance are observed.
⑤ Subcortical hemorrhage
There are hemorrhages, spasms, hemianopia, and aphasia in the subcortical parietal and frontal lobes.
Writing reference ①: https://www.yokohama-shintoshi.jp/brain/noshukketsu.html
1-3. subarachnoid hemorrhage
A subarachnoid hemorrhage is a disease in which bleeding occurs in a gap under the “arachnoid”, one of the membranes that cover the brain. The brain is covered from the outside by the dura mater, the arachnoid mater, and the pia mater. Subarachnoid hemorrhage is bleeding in the space between the arachnoid membrane and pia mater (subarachnoid space).
Symptoms include sudden severe headache, disturbance of consciousness such as faintness, vomiting, and dizziness. It is said that 30% of people die or have severe aftereffects.
prognosis
In addition, it is said that rebleeding is likely to occur within 24 hours after onset, so caution is required.
Writing reference ①: https://soujinkai.or.jp/himawariNaiHifu/fatty-liver
2. What causes subarachnoid hemorrhage
There are three main causes of subarachnoid hemorrhage.
● Rupture of cerebral aneurysm
● Bleeding from cerebral arteriovenous malformation
● Head injury
<Rupture of cerebral aneurysm>
Cerebral aneurysm rupture accounts for 90% of the causes of subarachnoid hemorrhage.
A cerebral aneurysm is a swelling of a cerebral artery caused by blood entering a thin wall of a blood vessel.
<Bleeding from cerebral arteriovenous malformation>
Bleeding is caused by congenital causes of blood flowing into abnormal connections (nidus) between cerebral arteries and veins. It has a low incidence and is not hereditary.
<Head injury>
It is caused by a strong external force on the head, such as an accident or a fall.
Writing reference ①: https://soujinkai.or.jp/himawariNaiHifu/fatty-liver
3. Regenerative medicine expected to be effective for subarachnoid hemorrhage
It used to be believed that once brain cells were damaged, they could not be restored.
In particular, subarachnoid hemorrhage tends to become severe, and aftereffects remain even if life is saved. However, regenerative medicine “stem cell therapy” is expected to improve the aftereffects.
3-1. Regeneration and repair of blood vessels in the brain are expected
In stem cell therapy, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells are taken from your own fat cells, increased to the required amount, and transplanted by intravenous drip.
Since the patient's own cells are transplanted, it is a treatment that is considered safe because there is no rejection reaction. In particular, subarachnoid hemorrhage is a disease that increases the possibility of recurrence if left untreated. In contrast, stem cell therapy is expected to have the effect of regenerating and repairing blood vessels.
Stem cell therapy is attracting attention because normal functioning of blood vessels can prevent subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Writing reference ①: https://neurotech.jp/saiseiiryou/subarachnoid-hemorrhage/
Writing reference ②: https://job-gear.jp/mikiyukai/sakamoto/service_d.htm
3-2. Recovery of brain function is expected
When subarachnoid hemorrhage develops, various symptoms such as severe headache and consciousness disturbance appear. This is because subarachnoid hemorrhage causes loss of normal brain function.
With stem cell therapy, stem cells and growth factors such as cytokines, which are proteins produced by stem cells, repair and improve damaged brain tissue.
By repairing and improving brain tissue, brain function is restored, leading to the improvement of various symptoms such as headaches and disturbances of consciousness.
Writing reference ①: https://neurotech.jp/saiseiiryou/subarachnoid-hemorrhage/
Writing reference ②: https://job-gear.jp/mikiyukai/sakamoto/service_d.htm
4. Cost of regenerative medicine for subarachnoid hemorrhage
The cost of stem cell therapy, which is regenerative medicine, cannot be said to be cheap.
This is because stem cell therapy is rarely covered by insurance and is generally self-funded. Depending on the clinic to be treated and the symptoms of subarachnoid hemorrhage, it costs about 1 million to 4 million yen.
Here, we will pick up a few clinics and introduce their costs.
Stem cell therapy is a self-pay medical treatment, but it is eligible for medical expense deduction.
Clinic A Clinic B Clinic C
Consultation/Counseling (1 time) ¥11,000 ¥11,000 ¥3,000
Blood test (1 time) ¥11,000 ¥11,000 ¥11,000
Stem cell drip (once) ¥1,650,000 ¥1,460,000 ¥2,420,000
Writing reference ①: https://neurotech.jp/saiseiiryou/subarachnoid-hemorrhage/
Writing reference ②: https://www.apoplexy.jp/apoplexy/cost/
5. Effective prophylaxis for subarachnoid hemorrhage
Subarachnoid hemorrhage is often aggravated once it develops, so prevention is important.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage has been said to develop suddenly, but early symptoms such as fluctuations in blood pressure and headache have been confirmed. In addition, it often develops after the age of 40, and prevention is especially important after middle age.
● Meals
Watch out for too much salt as it can lead to high blood pressure. Adjust cholesterol and calories to prevent arteriosclerosis and thrombosis.
● Smoking or drinking alcohol
Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption, as these increase the risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage.
● Aerobic exercise
Aerobic exercise widens blood vessels and improves blood flow.
Aim for at least 20 minutes of exercise per day.
Writing reference ①: https://www.yokohama-shintoshi.jp/brain/nokosoku.html
6. Summary: Regenerative medicine is effective for subarachnoid hemorrhage
Until now, treatments such as subarachnoid hemorrhage were expected to replace lost brain cells and tissues.
For example, it is difficult to return to its original state through rehabilitation alone. However, regenerative medicine such as stem cell therapy is effective in improving aftereffects because it regenerates and repairs blood vessels. In addition, since the patient's own cells are transplanted by intravenous drip, the probability of rejection is low, so the safety is high.
If you are suffering from the sequelae of subarachnoid hemorrhage, why not consider regenerative medicine?
Omotesando Helene Clinic specializes in regenerative medicine that does not place a burden on the body, and provides pre-counseling for those who cannot immediately start treatment.
Diabetes is also related to lifestyle habits such as obesity, excessive drinking and smoking, but it is generally said that it is difficult to improve lifestyle habits.
Therefore, if you use "regenerative medicine" that utilizes autologous stem cells, you can use your own cells to repair weakened cells in the body and prevent diabetes and complications.
"I'm curious, but I can't decide if prevention is really necessary now." You may be at risk of wandering life and death without realizing it, so Please feel free to contact us.
・Inquiry form (LINE, We Chat, email support):https://stemcells.jp/contact/
[Regenerative Medicine Outpatient] 03-3400-2277
Supervision: Dr. Yasushi Tsuda