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February 8th, 2012

Hearing Loss And Stem Cell Research


In recent years, researchers have undertaken a number of successful animal studies to repair damage to the inner ear through the transplantation of stem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood. Now the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for the first study using cord blood stem cells to treat sensorineural hearing loss in children.

 

The study will be conducted at Childrens’ Memorial Hermann Hospital and Cord Blood Registry in Houston, Texas. The subjects will be ten infants, aged six weeks to eighteen months, who suffered hearing loss after birth. Children with hearing loss due to genetic disorders will not be included in the study. Due to the increased survival rate of infants born prematurely, the indigence of hearing loss in young children has continued to increase.

 

The infants will receive stem cells obtained from their own stored umbilical cord blood. The stem cells will be introduced through an IV infusion on an outpatient basis. Periodic evaluations will be conducted to assess the effectiveness of the treatment. . The principal investigator, otolaryngologist Samer Fakhri, M.D., is hopeful that his study will lead to a non-surgical treatment for hearing loss in children.


49 Responses to Hearing Loss And Stem Cell Research

  • Kevin Phillips says:
    March 22, 2012 at 7:38 pm

    Dear Sir/Madam
    I am doing some reerach into stem cell treatment into SSHL,last September I became deaf overnight i one ear due to viral/vascular infection.My ENT doctor that hearing devices were not suitable and cochlear inplant would be an the only answer.
    Could you advise me if your research has advanced towards the treatment of Adults.
    I live in the UK and thank you for your time
    Regards and best wishes for research
    Kevin Phillips

    Reply
  • admin says:
    March 26, 2012 at 7:53 pm

    Stem cell treatment of hearing loss is still in the early experimental stage, with the first FDA-approved study in children currently underway in the US. Here is a link to a study in England on stem cell therapy for patients over age 60: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8951436/Stem-cell-treatment-to-prevent-hearing-loss.html

    Reply
  • Paul says:
    May 2, 2012 at 3:52 pm

    Are there any stem cell trials for adults forthcoming in the United States. I live in Phoenix, AZ and I am 50 years old and I have moderate hearing loss.

    Reply
  • Catalin says:
    May 9, 2012 at 6:56 pm

    My daughter is 8 weeks old and suffered a moderate hear loss due to a high level of bilirubin at birth.
    Who can I contact for a stem cells treatment. We banked the cord blood in Canada.
    Currently we are living in Montreal.
    Thanks

    Reply
  • CARINA COLE says:
    May 15, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    DEAR SIR/MADAM.

    I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE POSSIBILITIES OR CLINICAL TRIALS AVAILABLE (STEM CELLS OR OTHER?)FOR A CASE LIKE MINE: BILATERAL OTOESCLEROSIS, STAPEDECTOMY IN RIGHT EAR, LOST IT 3 MONTHS AFTER THE OPERATION ALTHOUGH APPARENTLY EVERYTHING IS IN PLACE. NOW ONLY HEARING THRU LEFT (50%). HAD A BAD SCARE THIS WEEKEND WITH SUDDEN DEAFNESS. NOW I AM RESPONDING TO TREATMENT BUT AM VERY MUCH AFRAID IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.

    I AM A US CITIZEN, 44 YEARS OLD AND LIVE IN MADRID, SPAIN.

    THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP
    CCOLE

    Reply
  • Rebecca says:
    August 7, 2012 at 6:03 pm

    Hello! I’ve been doing research on stem cell transplant surgery for awhile now as I have severe to profound hearing loss due to meningitis at the age of 2. There has been success of this surgey in other countries – specifically China and Korea. I’m currently looking into the surgery oversees as I am very anxious to have this surgery. Should the US finally allow this surgery, as they do not at the moment, I may decide to do it here if it’s not too far off. I expect Johns Hopkins will be one of the first to do it in the US if it is allowed.

    Reply
  • Imelda says:
    September 24, 2012 at 8:16 pm

    Hello, my son was born five weeks ago wil severe to profound hearing loss in both ears. I have been looking into stem cell research for a possible treatment for his hearing loss, we live in Ireland a country which would not have such advance treatments. I would like to get so more information on the possibility of this treatment.

    Kind Regards,
    Imelda

    Reply
  • jennifer granata says:
    September 26, 2012 at 2:19 am

    i have a 60% hearing loss since birth please help me losing my sight also
    hurry.

    Reply
  • James says:
    October 4, 2012 at 2:48 am

    Lost hearing while in the military was told sorry no treatment here is a hearing aid have a nice life on your way out. They don’t help it’s like turning up the sound on noise you can’t understand. Is there some kind of treatment I don’t know that will restore my hearing?

    Reply
  • b suresh kumar says:
    October 29, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    respected sir,
    my son age4 years he was suffering with sensorineural hearing loss due to high fever last four months back, can stem cell treatment will clear my son,s hearing loss problem.can i hope on stem cell treatment.
    please give ur valueable suggetion to me
    regards
    suresh kumar
    india

    Reply
  • Jolanta Boyd says:
    November 3, 2012 at 8:37 pm

    My son will be 4 years old next January (2013). He was born with profound hearing loss in both ears. We decided on cochlea implants (both ears) and he was operated on in December 2010. Can stem cell treatment clear my son’s hearing loss problem even now that he has the implants? Can we hope on stem cell treatment and eventually remove the implants?

    Jolanta Boyd

    Reply
  • Daniel says:
    November 5, 2012 at 8:13 am

    Lost my hearing due to high fever. Probably 98 percentage loss and I really want to restore my hearing instead of cochlear implant. I don’t like a idea of it plugged in my head and limited my physical activities. I want to feel freedom with improving my hearing to help with my life. Been struggling being an deaf in a hearing world.

    Reply
  • anne says:
    January 3, 2013 at 6:58 am

    Are there any clinical trials for young adults with hearing loss?

    Reply
  • Kristine says:
    January 6, 2013 at 11:04 pm

    My daughter (now 16) was born with a genetic defect – deaf in her left ear. Although you mention that the trial is only for infants that suffered a hearing loss after birth has there been studies done for repairing hearing loss due to a genetic defect?

    Reply
  • John says:
    January 7, 2013 at 5:21 am

    I just went to get a hearing test and found that I have significant hearing loss in my left ear and only slight hearing loss in my right ear. The doctor was mystified as to why the loss had occurred so much in the left but not the right.
    I am a musician and don’t really get more input in my left ear over my right ear. I am not exposed to electronically amplified sounds all that much. It’s mostly acoustic.
    Anything you can do to help would be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks
    John

    Reply
  • David says:
    January 25, 2013 at 2:47 am

    Hi

    Is there currently any research or trials going on in the uk for congenital deafness (rubella)?

    Dave.

    Reply
  • Robert B. says:
    January 30, 2013 at 2:12 am

    Hearing loss of 50% to bilateral ears after a battery exploded. I was told it damaged the hairlike structures in the inner ears. I have always been told to wear hearing aids and have had many different kinds over the past 14 years. I am extremely interested in stem cell research and the process of hearing restoration. Please let me know if anything can be done.

    Reply
  • Armen says:
    March 7, 2013 at 5:56 pm

    Hello. I am 38, have hearing aids because of hearing loss.
    I am in Houston TX. Is possible about stem cell treatment? May I contact to Dr. Samer Fakhri?

    Reply
  • Corey Starke says:
    March 10, 2013 at 6:54 am

    Hi there. This is my first post. 41 years old and I have been living with hearing loss for at least 36 of those years. I have been told it is the Cilia in my Cochlea. I am curious as to how important the fluid in the Inner Ear is. As a student of Chemistry are there any people/companies that are studying outside the box (the box: stem cell, cochlear implants, etc.), perhaps from the Chemical perspective? I cannot help to think that we are missing something obvious in our quest to solve the hearing loss riddle. However, I admit being ignorant of the science involved.Lol

    Reply

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