STEM CELL RESEARCH HOLDS OUT PROMISE FOR THE DEAF

 It is possible that in the future profound deafness could be reversed in people. Holding out this promise is the research in mice that has shown that stem cell can differentiate and develop into sensory cell in mice. According to scientists at the University of Bristol, England, the first clinical application of the research probably would be in tandem with a cochlear implant. Transplantation of the sensory cell line would encourage growth of nerves to the implanted electrode, allowing the profoundly deaf to hear. 

Stem Cell procurement from nasal tissue of cadavers

 Researchers at the University of Louisville Health Science Centre in Kentucky, USA, have got a whiff of the smell of success, stem cells harvested from the olfactory neuroepithelium of human cadavers were reproduced successfully for 100 or more cycles and remained viable for as long as 16 months. These stem cells develop into either neurons or myelin, making them potential therapeutic components for various neurological diseases. Even though clinical trials are at least  5 years away, they offer hope to people suffering from Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injuries 

A First in Bio-artificial liver support

 A trial is currently being conducted evaluating the Extracorporeal Liver Assist Device (ELAD, VitaGen,  Lajolla, CA, USA) with a view to improving the biologic support for patients with Fumigant Hepatic  Failure (FHF), This support will allow improvement of the medical condition, thereby improving transplant survival and bridging the patient to recovery.

In contrast to other devices, the ELDA utilizes 400gms of human hepatocytes and continuous therapy. A first was recently achieved with the ELAD, wherein a patient was continuously treated longer than any other patients previously reported (108Hrs)

The patient was a 21 year old female with idiopathic FHF. Upon arrival to the medical centres she was in stage 4 coma, and had developed pulmonary failure requiring 60% O2 within 123 hours of presentation, she was placed on the ELAD> at the time of ELAD initiation, she was requiring 100% O2 and dopamine. During the first 9 hours of ELAD therapy. Her pulmonary status continued to deteriorate, however, the ensuing 40 hours demonstrated dramatic respiratory and hemodynamic improvement. On the following time period, all parameters stabilized and there was biochemical evidence of improved hepatic function. A donor liver was identified, transplanted and she is now alive and well.

For the first time, ELAD therapy was safely carried on continuously for over 100 hours during which the patient’s transplant candidacy dramatically improved and was maintained until a liver was available.

 Link between peripheral vascular disease and survival post kidney transplant

 Research at the university of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA conducted a study comparing renal graft survival in recipient with lower extremity peripheral vascular (PVD) as  compared to recipient without PVD, in this study, involving 664 adults, it was found that kidney transplant recipient with lower extremity PVD had diminished survival, 14 patients had lower extremity PVD prior to transplant, another 21 developed the condition post-transplant, in general, this patients were older and more likely to be smoker to have diabetes, 21 patients required 34 major interventions on 24 limbs, including amputation, Ten-Year patient and graft survival in the PVD group was 26.1% compared to75.7% in patients without the disease, (Transplantation 2000:70:1049-1054).