Saturday 3 September 2011

Heart "created" by the small intestine

Scientists from a patient Hanover have saved his life by being part of the heart replaced part of the small intestine. This type of transplant is done very rarely, since the research in progress.

Detection of cancer is a shock to everyone. This was the case of a 40-year Dutch of. Malignancy had already spread to the difficult places. That's why it was sent to Professor Axel Haverihu in Hanover. Haverih heads the Department of heart transplantation:

"When these patients were specific to the tumor and spread to the left atrium of the heart, but also the root of the right lung. In the Netherlands estimated that the operation is impossible and the woman came in asking Hanover last straw, "says Haverih.

Simply remove the tumor from the heart would lead to certain death


Transplantation was not an option because they do not practice in patients with cancer. So the professor decided to Haverih completely new method: remove the layer of the heart affected by cancer and immediately replaced part of the small intestine of the patient. During the procedure she was transferred to an artificial lung.

"Small intestines are removed with all the blood vessels and a total of fifteen centimeters long. Small intestine is perfect because it contains vessels that are associated with the patient's bloodstream, as with bypass. Thus we obtain a functional implant, "says Haverih.

The surgeon was forced hose for the heart wall exactly at the point where it was removed layer of the right atrium. What followed was the poetry of surgery - the ultrasound was nice to be monitored as part of the bowel function takes a pulsating heart wall. "After only three weeks have begun this part of the intestinal contractions. After six weeks of this part of the function almost normally and synchronously with the heartbeat of the patient. "

Successful animal studies


Scientists knew that surgery could be successful after years of research on rats and, later, pigs and sheep. However, not yet known where and how to develop heart cells. To find the answer to that question, the samples from the animals were sent to the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung in Bad Nauheim. "We found two different forms of heart cells. Some types of embryonic stem cells and originate in the intestinal tissue, while others are being built close to blood vessels. We believe that certain parts of the heart cells are being built with both types of these cells, "says Haverih.

It is still not known where and how stem cells get the signal that they should perform a metamorphosis. This procedure has been developed primarily for patients with cancer, but for children who have heart problems. However, as yet, neither child has undergone surgery. In Europe, the year 1000 babies is born with a heart defect, many are dying early because there are not enough organs for transplantation. The new method could help. "The primary objective was to apply the procedure on children with congenital impairment are born with, say, only one heart ventricle or atrium. Hereby, we provide relief, perhaps completely cured, "says Dr. Haverih.

He believes that the surgery performed on children soon. First, the procedure will be performed when more than one child has no other treatment options. One such case was the patient from the Netherlands - without surgery would surely die. Recently, the mother of four children with her family again, and it beats the heart caused by the small intestine.

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