Khaberni - A team of scientists from the Mayo Clinic has developed a new method to repair damaged hearts without open heart surgery, consisting of a thin patch of lab-grown heart tissue using reprogrammed adult stem cells. The patch can be folded and placed over the heart through a small incision, instead of opening up the chest.
In preliminary tests, the new foldable heart patch was able to repair damaged heart tissue.
According to "Health Day," Mayo Clinic researchers said human trials could begin within 5 years.
The researchers explained that in pre-clinical tests, the patch helped the heart to pump blood more effectively and reduced scarring.
Treatment for Severe Heart Failure
Dr. Wu Qiang Zhou, the lead researcher in the study, said: "For patients with severe heart failure, there are very limited options other than mechanical pumps or organ transplants. We hope this approach offers a new way for them to repair their hearts themselves."
Usually, the damage caused by a heart attack cannot be reversed because the heart cannot regenerate healthy muscles on its own.
Zhou's team reprograms ordinary adult cells, such as blood or skin, into induced pluripotent stem cells that can then produce new cells for the heart and blood vessels.
They then place these cells in layers on a thin patch made of microfibers. The patch is then loaded into a small tube and directed to the heart, where it automatically unfolds and is secured in place using medical adhesive instead of stitches.
Preliminary Results
In pre-clinical model tests, the patch showed the following:
• Improved heart function.
• Reduced scar tissue.
• Increased growth of blood vessels.
• Reduced inflammation.
Zhou said: "Our results show that these engineered tissues not only survive but also help the heart heal itself. This is the ultimate goal: to compensate for what was lost and restore its function."
The research team hopes that this treatment will one day help patients who are unable to undergo open heart surgery or those waiting for a transplant.
