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Feb 6, 2008 4:30 pm US/Eastern
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Health: Creating New Human Organs
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
It might sound like science fiction but researchers in the Philadelphia area have found a way to make parts of a human organ.
A lab in Montgomery County has already created parts of a new bladder using a patients own cells.
The new age transplants are being done at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Bladder cells from the patient were isolated in a lab, engineered to multiply and seeded onto a biodegradable scaffold. Eight weeks later the new bladder is in the operating room ready for transplant.
A woman with an overactive bladder from a spinal injury got parts of a new bladder grown from her own cells.
"You're taking advantage of the bodies natural capacity to regenerate," said Dr. Patrick Shenot, Neurourologist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He said two patients with bladder problems have been given refurbished organs, so far.
"What we're doing is we're studying this technique to see if we can replace the standard treatment with tissue that's grown from the patients own body," said Dr. Shenot.
The Tengion Company in Montgomery County has built the factory, and is already making the bladders. The company also plans to eventually mass produce blood vessels and kidneys.
"You don't know where it's going to go, but you know it's big," said Dr. Steven Nichtberger, the President and CEO of Tengion.
"You can imagine if we were able to grow kidneys in the lab with the waiting list we have for transplantation in 2008 that would be huge," said Dr. Shenot. He said they're not quite to the point yet where they can make completely whole independent organs, but the future looks promising.
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is participating in the trials for both spinal cord injury patients with overactive bladders, and this month they're starting a new trial for patients with overactive bladders who have failed all treatments currently available.
For more information call
1-800-JEFF-NOW.
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