November 20, 2008

The world’s first organ stem cell transport

An international collaboration of scientists and medical staff in Spain has seen the world’s first whole organ transplant, which has dramatically changed the life of a thirty year old mother who had been suffering from a damaged windpipe.

The damage was so bad that the woman may have had to have one of her lungs removed, yet by taking a donated piece of windpipe, stripping the cells from it and then treating it with the woman’s own cells. The transplant has been deemed a success and offers hope too many more people in the future.

However, because this was an international collaboration, the chances of this happening on a regular basis are in the near future is unlikely due to the problems associated with cost and work load. Although this is, type of operation could become common place within twenty years.

Source [Daily Mail]