For more information about brain cell transplant, contact Carole Bullock at the American Heart Association 214-706-1279

Clot busting therapies enable doctors to treat a stroke in progress. But for patients who don't get the medicine, the only treatment avaiable is physical therapy to try and recover some lost skills. Now scientists are testing a more radical approach - a brain cell transplant. Medical reporter Helen Chickering explains.

Tom Reilly suffered a debilitating stroke in 1994

Physically he had paralysis on the right side and it affected his speech. Mentally his comprehension is good, his memory is good, and he has just been very strong and determined to not let the stroke keep him from doing this things he wanted to do.

An experimental therapy is giving Tom and Virginia new hope. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center are transplanting laboratory grown cells into the brains of stroke patients in an effort to help them regain some of that lost function.

Dr. Douglas Kondziolka, Univ. of Pitts. School of Medicine: "We aim to put the new cells into and around the area of the stroke to graft with the existing cells that are still there are still living in the person's brain to try and create a better environment for recovery ."

Tom Reilly is one of seven stroke survivors who had the cell transplant therapy

Dr. Douglas Kondziolka: "So far everybody who has undergone the surgery without any problems. They have all been discharged home the next morning in good spirits feeling well. That's one side of the coin. The other side is obviously are the patients getting better, are they moving limbs?"

Virginia Reilly, wife: "He's had a little bit of bit more movement on the right side, his arm and his leg, and we are excited about it, it's given us some hope. "

But doctors stress, there's much more research to be done before brain cell transplants can be offered to patients as a real treatment option.

Dr. Douglas Kondiziolka: "I would anticipate that if things go well and we finish the study on a good note that a second study will be proposed where we would perhaps put more cells in, maybe more locations and perhaps different kinds of patients and build from there."

A chance to get back a part of life patients like Tom thought they'd lost for good.

Tom Reilly, brain cell transplant patient: "Wonderful, my arms, my legs."

Doctors hope to begin phase two studies in the near future.