Physicians and researchers at Cedars-Sinai and Johns Hopkins hosipitals have embarked on an exciting study involving the use of stem cells to fix heart muscle that have been damaged during heart attacks. Heart-specific stem cells are harvested directly from the patient’s own heart and grown in a petri dish. The stem cells form clusters called “cardiospheres” that can even start to beat while in the dish. These cells are then injected back into the damaged heart of the patient from which they came. The researchers are hoping that these new cells will grow into healthy muscle to replace a damaged and scarred heart. This minimally-invasive procedure was completed in the first patient on Friday, June 26, 2009.
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Tags: cardiosphere, Cedars-Sinai, heart attack, johns hopkins, stem cells
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
July 1st, 2009 at 6:25 am
I am very happy to hear that stem cell procedures on humans are finally happening in the U.S. There is just too much red tape not allowing these procedures to happen. People are desperate and when a person has no other options and is terminal, why not attempt to save his or her life with this procedure???
I have been waiting for years for stem cell therapies to happen in the field of neurology. I am a recipient of adrenomyeloneuropathy and have been suffering for years. I sure hope that something will happen soon to rectify this devestating disease.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:03 am
Greetings, I’m so happy for the findings; I’m having a bone marrow transplant done soon here in UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, inFeb I had a heart transplant; I have emolyodosis I’m afraid because my new heart; what do you think?
July 1st, 2009 at 2:02 pm
So happy to read of the stem cell testing. I have two little granddaughters who were born with 3 serious heart
problems: hole, missing valve and missing vain to lungs.
Replacements will be needed for the 5 yr. old next yr. and
a yr. or two later for her sister. If their own could be
grown via stem cell may be they would not need more ops.
July 1st, 2009 at 4:17 pm
This could be a great idea as it could give the patients who suffered from heart diseases a second chance of life and also extend their lives.
July 1st, 2009 at 7:52 pm
so cool. Jesus rocks!
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:46 am
My brother had the stem cell transplant, did all right for awhile came down with a B K viris and the cells died, he later passed away. I was disapointed with the doctors at vanderbilt in Nashville after the cells died it was like they couldn’t wait to get my brother out of the hospital. Kinda like they thought it didn’t work for you so let’s move on to the next GP. Thanks so much for your love Dr’s, see if the procedure works they get praised and get research money, if it fails they get nothing so check out your doctors before you have this done, we all thought it was going to save our brothers life. It didn’t! My brother went through alot of pain just so these doctors could get some fame, when his cells dided so did their careing!
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:48 am
My brother had the stem cell transplant, did all right for awhile came down with a B K viris and the cells died, he later passed away. I was disapointed with the doctors at vanderbilt in Nashville after the cells died it was like they couldn’t wait to get my brother out of the hospital. Kinda like they thought it didn’t work for you so let’s move on to the next GP. Thanks so much for your love Dr’s, see if the procedure works they get praised and get research money, if it fails they get nothing so check out your doctors before you have this done, we all thought it was going to save our brothers life. It didn’t! My brother went through alot of pain just so these doctors could get some fame, when his cells died so did their careing!