New procedure sees city MS sufferer make 'incredible' recovery

The 44-year-old had been struck down by an attack four years ago which led to him needing to re-learn how to co-ordinate his hands and arms, and suffering from fatigue.

Now the city joiner has overcome fears that he would one day be confined to a wheelchair after undergoing radical new treatment at a specialist clinic in Europe.

He says he no longer walks with a limp, can walk faster, speak clearly and has returned to work.

Mr Meldrum, who lives with his wife Karen, 44, and son Ben, 12, in Craigentinny, said: "It started with bad headaches - migraines - about eight years ago. At one point I could hardly walk up the road and my hands and arms would go numb.

"Compare that to being able to walk up the stairs to the hotel room just hours after the operation.

"I knew they'd come up with something but I didn't think it would be in my lifetime."

Mr Meldrum is one of a handful of MS sufferers to receive an angioplasty operation to treat chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI).

His operation, carried out by German firm Privatescan at a new facility in Geel, Belgium, was inspired by a new theory by Dr Paolo Zamboni, a professor at the University of Ferrara in Italy.

He found evidence using ultrasound scans that revealed many of the symptoms associated with MS are caused by the jugular veins leading from the brain becoming narrowed, twisted and blocked.

He saw that blockages were allowing iron from the blood to leak into the brain tissue, where it caused damage.

Further damage and symptoms can be relieved by inserting a tiny balloon device into the blocked vein and then blowing it up to open up the blood vessel.

Instead of taking the Betaseron medication, which can have significant side-effects, that Mr Meldrum was offered by consultants at the Western General four years ago, he opted to undergo physiotherapy and diet change to help his condition.

However, as he deteriorated he looked for a new treatment for MS, which has no known cure.

He first heard about CCSVI treatment in a newspaper article about a woman from Inverness undergoing treatment and researched the procedure on the internet.

He and his wife decided to go ahead with the 7000 operation around three months ago. After an initial scan in Dublin to determine he had narrowing of the jugular veins, he underwent the one-day treatment in Belgium in mid-October.

Mr Meldrum said: "Before the treatment I was getting worse. I had balance problems and although I worked throughout, it was starting to become a problem at work."I was worried that I was going to end up in a wheelchair.

"When you're suffering from a disease that has no cure and you come across something that might help, you will try anything."

Mrs Meldrum, who works in the joinery industry with her husband, said: "It was quite incredible really. On the Friday we were in Amsterdam airport and Kenny was walking but kept having to rest. On the Monday on the way back he was walking around without any problems.

"The treatment has only been around for two years and they told us it might only last for a time, but even if it was just for a year it would be worth it. And it's even possible to have the procedure done again."

'More research needed'

MS Society Scotland estimates that around 10,500 people in Scotland are affected by MS, the highest rate per head of the population in the world.

Despite the apparent success of Mr Meldrum's operation, and that of other patients who have undergone the treatment surrounding CCSVI, experts remain divided over theprocedure.

Dr Doug Brown, head of biomedical research at the MS Society, said: "At this stage there is not enough evidence to state whether CCSVI plays a part in the development of MS, nor whether treating CCSVI would have any impact.

"We do recognise it's an intriguing area and we welcome further research."

Despite the debate over the use of the treatment, Mr Meldrum said he would like to see it trialled in the NHS.

He added: "I would say to other people with my condition go and get it.

"You've only got one life and for a condition without a cure it's worth a shot."