Surgery

Latest news on surgery

Transplant first a giant leap for surgery

Doctors have successfully carried out the world's first airway transplant on a young woman using an organ partly grown from her own stem cells in a groundbreaking operation which scientists believe will transform the future of surgery.Surgeons replaced a section of Claudia Castillo's windpipe, that had been irreparably damaged by tuberculosis, with a donated organ that was stripped of its cells and used as a scaffold for her stem cells. Because Castillo's body recognises her own cells in the replacement organ she does not need to take powerful drugs to suppress her immune system, unlike all other transplant patients. The technique raises the prospect of transplants for patients whose organs are damaged by cancer, who then cannot take the drugs as they increase the risk of cancer returning.Professor Martin Birchall, from Bristol University, which carried out the stem cell engineering, said it would soon be possible to create a range of organs for transplants which patients' bodies will not reject. "In 20 years, this will be the most common form of surgery," he said.A paper published in the Lancet medical journal online today, describes a cutting-edge collaboration involving doctors in three countries: Spain, the UK and Italy. In the paper, the authors write: "We think this represents a milestone and hope it will unlock the door for a safe and recipient-tailored transplantation of the airway in adults and children. We hope that these future patients will no longer suffer the trauma of speech loss, severe shortness of breath and limited social activities."Castillo, 30, was referred to the Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, because TB had damaged her airways. The upper part of her windpipe was surgically repaired, but it was not possible to undo damage to the tube connecting the main windpipe to the left lung. Doctors rarely recommend a windpipe transplant because condemning a patient to a lifetime of immunosuppressant drugs - which makes them vulnerable to infections - is only thought worthwhile if it is the only way to save their life.The standard option for somebody like Castillo would have been removal of the left lung, which would have restored her health but probably shortened her life. Based on work done on animals, Professor Paolo Macchiarini offered her a procedure untried on humans. "We proposed tissue engineering to this lady," he said.A piece of windpipe was taken from a donor and treated to remove all cellular material that Castillo's body might reject. Stem cells were removed from her hip and cultivated by researchers from Bristol University until they were ready to develop into cartilage, which would grow around the outside of the trachea. More cells were taken from the mucous membrane around the tube linking her main windpipe to her right lung. These cells were treated by another Bristol team to be seeded on the inside of the new section of windpipe. Then scientists at Milan university constructed a bioreactor to foster the growth of the mucous membrane cells and the cartilage.The operation took place on June 12. Macchiarini said: "As I was operating, I asked myself am I doing the right thing. I was very much afraid." If things had gone wrong, Castillo knew her lung would have to be removed. But five months on, she is well and there is no sign of rejection of the transplant.A tailor-made effort involving top scientists in three countries is an expensive exercise, but the scientists are confident that costs will come down and that the technique will help thousands of people in years to come. Professor Anthony Hollander, from Bristol, said: "The trick is to develop ways of scaling up," he said.But the Barcelona hospital, said Macchiarini, had already made savings by no longer having to admit Castillo to intensive care twice a week at a cost of £3,000 a day, as it has done for the last three years.Birchall said about 270 UK patients could benefit from a tissue-engineered windpipe transplant operation. But he believes it will eventually be possible to use the technique for all kinds of transplants.Organ donationMedical researchHealthguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED- SMALL PET O.K.! (santa rosa) $3500

WE PROVIDE CAREGIVING, ROOM & MEALS TO DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED ADULTS, POST SURGERY PATIENTS OR SENIORS WITH PETS. ROOMS AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE CARE! AVAILABLE NOV 15th IN 5BR/3BATH HOUSE WITH LIVING ROOM & FAMILY ROOM IN ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF SANTA ROSA! ONE DOG EACH, UNDER 20LBS, OK! BEST FOR DD ADULTS & SENIORS, ALSO FOR JUNIORS WHO ARE RECUPERATING FROM SURGERY OR FOR LADIES WHO WOULD WANT TO SHY AWAY DUE TO COSMETIC SURGERY. COMPASSIONATE CAREGIVERS, HOME-COOKED MEALS, PEACEFUL RETREAT, LAUNDRY SERVICES, WIRELESS INTERNET & CABLE INCLUDED. $3500, depends on level of care. PHOTOS OF ROOMS/HOUSE, AVAILABLE ON REQUEST, FROM ADMINISTRATOR.

Seve Ballesteros ready to leave intensive care following surgery on brain tumour in Madrid

Seve Ballesteros could be moved out of intensive care as soon as next week according to the hospital treating the retired Spanish golfer.

Real Madrid's Ruud van Nistelrooy out for season after knee ligament surgery

Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy will miss the rest of this season after having surgery on his injured right knee.

Woman has baby after first ovary transplant

It is good news for the 38-year old German woman who last year received pioneering ovary transplant surgery at the Infertility Centre in St Louis, Missouri. At 2.50pm today her baby daughter was delivered by caesarian section. She weighed in at 7lb 15oz and is 54 centimetres long.The decision to deliver the baby by c-section at 40 weeks and one day in the pregnancy was not connected with the mother's earlier surgery, according to Dr Sherman Silber who carried out the ovary transplant. The birth is the ninth reported worldwide to use ovary tissue transplanted from one sister to another, although the first to use a whole ovary.The patient, who has not been identified, suffered early menopause at age 15 and has been infertile ever since. She received the ovary from her identical twin sister who lives in British Columbia. Her sister already has two children.Dr Silber believes the procedure could benefit women who are about the receive cancer treatment such as chemotherapy which can reduce their fertility. In that case a surgeon could remove an ovary, freeze it until the treatment is over, then re-transplant back into the patient so that her fertility is restored.Another possibility is for a woman to delay reproduction by putting an ovary on ice until she is ready to have a baby. I'm very sceptical that anyone would want to go through such a drastic procedure for this purpose though. Re-connecting the ovary is a major surgical procedure which of course entails risks - plus there is the much easier alternative of freezing eggs for future use.The Guardian's Science Weekly podcast will have an interview with Dr Silber in Monday's show.Medical researchguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Rosicky undergoes further surgery

Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky undergoes more surgery on his injured left knee.

Surgery beneficial in heartburn

People with chronic heartburn should be considered for early surgery to prevent a lifetime of pills, NHS research suggests.

Boruc faces knee surgery lay-off

Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc could be out of action for up to a month after knee surgery on Monday.

Cancer patient 'denied' surgery

A review of work by a consultant radiologist carried out by the Irish health authority is released.