New treatment could repair hearts
New treatment could repair hearts
2008-04-24Newsfeed
Innovative stem cell treatment could "turn the clock back" for heart attack victims by repairing damaged tissue.
Innovative stem cell treatment could "turn the clock back" for heart attack victims by repairing damaged tissue.
Two heart attack victims have already undergone the process, which involves taking a small amount of the patient's bone marrow and injecting it into their arteries within hours of the attack.
The stem cells, taken from the lower back under local anaesthetic, are purified before being "infused" into the damaged area.
It is thought the stem cells can rejuvenate or replace damaged cells, restoring a healthy heart.
Dr Anthony Mathur, senior lecturer and consultant cardiologist at Barts and the London NHS Trust, said: "It's about using the patient's own cells to see if they can repair the damage that the heart attack has caused.
"The dream is to turn the clock back, to restore heart function to what it was before the heart attack.
"It would be a fantastic achievement."
Dr Mathur said the procedure could completely restore quality of life.
If successful, it will allow patients to return to work quickly, and without the need to take tablets for the rest of their lives.
Copyright © The Press Association 2008
