Foundational care
Stabilization and rehabilitation come first
Emergency stabilization, decompression or fixation when indicated, prevention of secondary complications, and specialist rehabilitation remain the foundation of every plan we coordinate.
A protocol matched to your exact injury
Stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury in Istanbul
Our Istanbul team matches cell product, delivery route, and rehabilitation planning to your injury level and AIS grade — with physician oversight from evaluation through recovery.
Conceptual biological visualization
Evidence status
What the evidence can support now
Our matched protocols
Cell delivery matched to your case
We work with oligodendrocyte progenitors, neural cells, MSCs, and bone-marrow preparations, selecting the route and injury stage combination our specialists judge appropriate for you.
What we won't promise
No generic guarantee of walking
We won't promise a universal cell infusion that bridges every lesion or restores lost tracts. We focus on transparent protocols, precise dosing, and honest expectations.
A direct answer
The short answer
Our Istanbul program builds each spinal cord injury protocol around your injury level, AIS grade, timing, and anatomy — pairing the right cell product and delivery route with structured rehabilitation and physician monitoring throughout your stay.
Start with the phenotype
Four factors shape your protocol
Neurological level, completeness, cause, and time since injury all shape which protocol our specialists recommend for your case.
We protect function first
Every plan we build sits alongside urgent spine care, respiratory support, pressure protection, bladder and bowel management, and rehabilitation — never in place of them.
- Emergency immobilization, imaging, hemodynamic support, and surgical review when indicated
- Respiratory, clot, skin, infection, spasticity, pain, bowel, bladder, and bone-health management
- Specialist physical and occupational rehabilitation with equipment and home planning
- Repeat standardized ISNCSCI and AIS examinations to document the trajectory
- Management of autonomic dysreflexia, orthostatic hypotension, sexuality, fertility, and mental health
- 01
Neurological level
Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and conus or cauda injuries affect different motor, sensory, respiratory, and autonomic functions.
- 02
AIS grade
AIS A through D distinguishes complete from varying degrees of incomplete injury under a standardized examination.
- 03
Timing
Acute, subacute, and chronic injuries have different biology, natural recovery, procedural windows, and trial criteria.
- 04
Cause and anatomy
Trauma, compression, inflammation, tumor, vascular injury, and nontraumatic myelopathy cannot be placed in one evidence category.
Product and route matter
Product and route, matched precisely
An IV stromal-cell infusion is a different protocol from a lineage-specified neural product implanted into the spinal cord. We are exact about which one applies to you.
- 01
Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells
Lineage-specified cells are implanted into the cord in tightly controlled early-phase studies.
Evidence boundaryThis involves neurosurgical delivery, long safety follow-up, and eligibility tied to level, AIS grade, and timing.
- 02
Neural stem or progenitor cells
Research examines whether defined neural cells can survive and support damaged circuitry.
Evidence boundaryCell identity, tumor surveillance, immunosuppression, and surgical risk are central unresolved issues.
- 03
Intrathecal MSCs
Small controlled studies deliver stromal cells into cerebrospinal fluid and track safety, sensation, and function.
Evidence boundaryA lumbar-puncture protocol does not establish cord bridging, motor recovery, or benefit from another MSC source.
- 04
IV cells and secretome
Systemic cells or acellular products are proposed to influence inflammation and repair signaling.
Evidence boundaryClinical efficacy and product standardization remain uncertain, especially for chronic complete injury.
Indexed evidence ledger
The evidence behind our protocols
Safety, sensory change, motor level, independence, and walking are different endpoints, and we read every trial against rehabilitation and natural recovery before recommending a plan.
01 AST-OPC1 phase 1/2a
Open study- Product
- Human embryonic stem-cell-derived oligodendrocyte progenitors
- Study design
- Open-label study, 25 adults with subacute cervical SCI
- Finding
- Established early feasibility and safety observations with exploratory neurologic follow-up.
- Limitation
- Small, nonrandomized, and product-specific; it cannot validate IV or intrathecal MSC programs or prove a walking outcome.
02 Chronic incomplete SCI phase 1/2
Open study- Product
- Two intrathecal doses of allogeneic Wharton's-jelly MSCs
- Study design
- Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 18 participants
- Finding
- The intervention was generally tolerated but was not superior to placebo across neurologic or functional outcomes.
- Limitation
- Very small study with multiple exploratory endpoints and one exact injury population.
03 DOSED phase 1
Open study- Product
- LCTOPC1 delivered with a novel intraspinal device
- Study design
- Open-label device-safety study with estimated enrollment of 10
- Finding
- The study tests delivery in selected subacute and chronic cervical or thoracic AIS A-B injuries.
- Limitation
- The trial is designed for early safety and has no efficacy result to support routine treatment.
Measure what changes
How we track your recovery
We record your full neurologic and rehabilitation trajectory before you travel, using validated measures rather than testimonial language.
- 01
Neurologic examination
ISNCSCI motor and sensory scores, neurologic level, sacral sparing, and AIS grade assessed consistently.
- 02
Independence and mobility
SCIM, wheelchair skills, transfers, upper-limb function, standing, and walking measures appropriate to baseline.
- 03
Autonomic and symptom outcomes
Bladder, bowel, blood pressure, breathing, spasticity, neuropathic pain, skin, and sexual function.
- 04
Durability and safety
MRI, infection, CSF leak, new pain, neurologic worsening, mass formation, and years of planned surveillance.
Clinical review before travel
Your free Istanbul medical evaluation
Send us your injury history, imaging, and rehabilitation records, and our spine and rehabilitation specialists build a protocol tailored to your neurological level, AIS grade, and goals — before you travel.
Records to send
- Initial and current MRI or CT images, reports, and operative notes
- Serial ISNCSCI worksheets with AIS grade and neurological level
- Respiratory, pressure-injury, clot, infection, autonomic, bladder, and bowel history
- Current medications, implanted hardware, spasticity treatment, and pain procedures
- Rehabilitation reports, mobility equipment, SCIM or walking measures, and home goals
Reasons to pause
- Unstable spine, new compression, syrinx, infection, pressure injury, clot, or respiratory instability
- A nontraumatic diagnosis not yet separated from traumatic SCI evidence
- A proposed intrathecal or intraspinal route without imaging, anesthesia, and emergency support confirmed
- Any guarantee of walking, bladder recovery, sensory return, or bridging a complete lesion
Transparent planning
Spinal cord injury treatment cost in Istanbul
IV MSC protocols, lumbar puncture, neurosurgical implantation, inpatient monitoring, and intensive rehabilitation are priced as distinct services. Your quote names the product, route, hospital support, complication plan, and follow-up, plus travel and hotel coordination.
Our 2026 MSC program planning range starts from $7,000-$18,000, giving you a transparent baseline before your free evaluation confirms your exact protocol and price.
- Spine, neurologic, rehabilitation, imaging, and anesthesia review
- Exact cell product, dose, route, device, and release testing
- Operating room, hospital observation, immunosuppression, and complication support
- Accessible travel, equipment, rehabilitation, imaging, and long-term surveillance
Questions patients ask before booking
- 01
Which injury level, AIS grade, timing, product, and route match my case?
- 02
What does the program cost, and how many days will I spend in Istanbul?
- 03
What are the lumbar puncture, surgery, CSF leak, infection, and complication risks?
- 04
How will you separate natural recovery and rehabilitation from a treatment effect?
Primary reading
Sources behind this guide
FAQ
Questions about spinal cord injury
Pricing depends on the exact product and route: IV MSC protocols, intrathecal delivery, or neurosurgical implantation. Our 2026 planning range starts from $7,000, confirmed exactly after your free evaluation.
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