Congenital heart disease: the first baby cured thanks to stem cells

In general, congenital heart diseases require several surgeries. Treatment with stem cells would avoid repeat operations.

Most common malformations

Les malformations congenital heart disease include abnormalities in the heart valves or the formation of small holes in the heart. They interfere with the normal pumping of blood to other organs and symptoms might occur a few hours following the baby is born. The congenital heart disease are the birth defects the most common in the world affecting 7 to 8 births in 1,000.

Invasive operations

Surgical interventions are necessary to treat these diseases and they should be carried out sometimes only a few days following birth. These extremely invasive operations must be repeated several times during childhood.
Fortunately, specialists have found a new type of treatment avoiding repeated surgeries for children. Indeed, for the first time, researchers have successfully treated the congenital heart disease of a baby named Finley using stem cells. These are injected directly into his heart.

Temporary solutions

Pour Finley, the symptoms appeared a few days following his birth. The doctors diagnosed a transposition of the great arteries as well as a reversal of the connections of the aorta and the pulmonary artery with the heart. The 4-day-old newborn had to undergo a major operation at heart open which lasted 12 hours. Yet, surgical repairs are only temporary solutions.

With success

After his first operation, the state of health of Finley rapidly deteriorated due to complications. Researchers from the University of Bristol (UK) have therefore decided to inject stem cells directly at sound level heart to increase the chances of his damaged vessels healing and to stabilize the blood supply to his left ventricle.
In a statement, Massimo Caputo, author of the new study, and the surgeon who operated Finley, brought more precision. “We’re trying to create living tissue, whether it’s a valve, a blood vessel or a patch, that will grow with the child and not deteriorate.“, he added. Although there was only very little chance of success, Finley discharged from the hospital and returned home safe and sound.

Source : Trust my science

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