Researchers have been trying to discover a way to prevent scar tissue for many years.   Many studies have been conducted to make this discovery; however, the following study is the first one that has been known to include humans.  This study involved a low-dose radiation as the treatment for scar tissue build up.  This particular study involved a second operation after 24 hours of radiation.

The problem with this study is that a second operation is not generally advised, as there is risk for causing even more scar tissue, which can make the problem even worse.  Radiation will injure the cells that are beneficial to the body after a trauma, such as surgery.

Fibroblasts, which are the cells that are targeted by the radiation, will generally rush to the area that is affected by the trauma.  Its intent is to repair it.  However, the fibrosis or dense scar tissue is formed because too many of these cells or fibroblasts come to help.

When the fibrosis wraps itself around the spinal nerve and nearby tissues, the nerves will not be able to move freely.  This is when the “tethering” occurs.  In animal studies, low-radiation treatments have been known to help prevent fibrosis.  This same study has shown positive results for humans, too.

A study involving five patients was conducted.  These five patients were treated with a low-dose of radiation.   Five other patients were given a placebo.  Out of the group that received the radiation treatment, three reported back pain free.  The other two reported a significant decrease in back pain after the radiation treatment.

For the group that received a placebo, three patients reported they felt better, while two reported there was no change.  Everyone in the controlled group still had some type of pain.  This study had to be terminated, as the product used in this study was taken off of the market.   Researchers were not able to treat everyone the same, so they had to stop with the original ten patients.  It is a possibility that this study could be redesigned and conducted again in the future.

U.S. researchers created an enzyme that can eat away at the scar tissue that has been formed.    This animal study has shown positive results.   Sugar proteins found near the scar tissue inhibit nerve fiber regeneration.  Eliminating the scar tissue is essential to helping nerve fibers to grow back.  Other studies have shown that injecting an enzyme from bacteria that digests scar tissue can help with nerve fiber regeneration.

An obstacle that this study has come across is that the enzyme is sensitive and degrades quickly.   The enzyme is heat sensitive and needs to be injected or infused into the body in order for it to work.   The team has found a way to overcome these obstacles.  The enzyme was mixed with Trehalose, a sugar that stables the internal body temperature.   Therefore, instead of injecting the enzyme into the spinal cord, they could inject it into a tiny, hollow straw that is twice the length of a single cell.  The team injects these at the injury site in a special gel that keeps the straws into place.

The result of this rat study was that the enzyme prevented scar tissue formation for up to six weeks.  Rats that received the treatment developed nerve fibers and regained some of the nerve function.    While the chABC enzyme was created from bacteria, a human version needs to still be created.   Many more studies will need to be done to repair spinal cord injuries in humans.  This will include controlling inflammation that can cause injury, stimulating nerve fiber growth, and getting nerves to reconnect, so they communicate with the brain.   They hope to see positive results for this enzyme in the future.