Posted on 04/12/2006 5:12:01 PM PDT by Coleus
Australian scientists are using stem cells to repair fractures in patients whose bones won't heal. The hope is it will save patients having to undergo many painful operations. Jamie Stevens, 21, fell off his motor bike nine months ago, fracturing his thigh bone. It didn't heal, leaving a five-centimetre gap. The usual treatment would be to graft a new bone from his hip.
Instead, he was chosen as the first Australian patient to get an injection of specially treated stem cells. "The benefits outweigh the old procedure which takes a big chunk out of your hip," Jamie Stevens said. "It's radical as it's the first procedure to the patient's own cells to turn into bone cells," orthopaedic surgeon Richard de Steiger said.
Stem cells were taken from Jamie Stevens' bone marrow, then treated and purified. Surgeons at the Royal Melbourne hospital placed a tiny scaffold made of calcium into the bone and injected the cells inside. So far, the signs are that the procedure went well. "We won't know the true success for 12 to 15 weeks when we can do X-rays to show the bone has healed," Mr de Steiger said.
Nine other patients with bone fractures will have the procedure. A similar technique used stem cells to treat patients with heart failure.
Whoa, I missed this the first time around....
I wonder if stem cells from cord blood could, or were used?
I want to know more about this story. It's personally important to me. That "gap" is what's called a "non-union" and I've got one in my foot. To make a long story short, I've been walking around with a broken right foot for fifteen years and I refuse to have yet another surgery. I'd also refuse treatment if fetal stem cells were involved.
I truly hope this is a huge success. Not only will it show that preborn babies don't have to be butchered for "the common good," it should stop any rejection issues and may keep awful reconstructive surgies at bay.
Stem cells were taken from Jamie Stevens' bone marrow, then treated and purified.
I don't He will approve of us making the body a workshop of filthy creation.
Says it there plain as day.
I need a nap. And in almost 6 and a half hours until Lent is over, I can *finally* have that cup of coffee! :o)
Godspeed.
Thanks.
Need a nap now...;o)
Awesome. And nobody had to die.
not really plain as day. The embryonic stem cell proponents never want the public to know what wonderful things are being done with adult stem cells.
From the article, "Stem cells were taken from Jamie Stevens' bone marrow, then treated and purified."
Agreed, just one of the reasons why I refuse to profit off of the domestication of horses, sheep, cattle and dogs. And glasses? Don't touch 'em. If God had wanted me to see, I wouldn't have been born near-sighted.
Yup, they do: you missed the phrase "patient's own".
Hopefully it will be another triumph for autodonated adult stem cells.
"A similar technique used stem cells to treat patients with heart failure."
Can anyone reading this thread direct me to a site with further details, or even provide the medical terminology for this technique? My father is 77, and is slowly losing strength in his heart muscle. He is having to increase his dosage of Lasik (sp?) due to fluid buildup in his lungs. He has declined noticeably in the past week, to the point that he is winded from the slightest exertion, and has difficulty holding a conversation for any length of time. He has barely had time to enjoy his first and only grandchild, who will be three in May.
I truly appreciate any information that kind FReepers can provide. Prayers are welcome and appreciated as well.
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