“HOO-RAY” why, exactly?
Well, since this revolutionary and life-saving surgical breakthrough was successful in its first trial (and hopefully things continue as such in subsequent future trials), this could spell the end of these things:
1) No more long waits on patient transplant waiting lists,
2) No more risks of organ rejection post-operation, and
2) No more lives HAVE to be sacrificed to save another life.
Andemariam Teklesenbet Beyene is a cancer patient who became the recipient of this procedure, performed by Professor Paolo Macchiarini at Karolinska University Hospital in Huddinge, Sweden. Using a three-dimensional scan of Beyene’s trachea, scientists at University College London created a highly-porous nanocomposite tracheal scaffold replica and then covered the replica in stem cells from Beyene’s own bone marrow. In only two days, the stem cells had created a brand new exact transplantable copy that is “indistinguishable from a normal healthy one,” according to the press release. Also, since the procedure uses the patient’s own stem cells and does not require any foreign-born tissues, patients only needs the take the required post-op immunosuppressive drugs, while experiencing a full-recovery and improved quality of life.
Now, speaking as a organ donor myself (because you know, should I die suddenly, it’s not like I really NEED my eyes, lungs, heart, or anything like that), this is huge and important news in the case for saving lives and improving the lives of people who are suffering from major illness and/or disability. This news (and the news of the man who was recently and possibly cured of the HIV-virus through a bone marrow transplant from a donor who was immune to the HIV/AIDS disease), gives me more hope of the advancement of medicine and medical research to bless more lives. A big HUZZAH to God and science!
[Thanks Engadget]
One thought on “The 1st Synthetic Organ Transplant equals "HOO-RAY!!!"”