A team from the Research Centre of the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CRCHUM) and the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (MRH) has just completed a first in cardiac medicine.
They injected stem cells directly into a heart to improve its healing and function. This took place during a coronary bypass surgery at the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital.
The first patient who received this treatment had a cell sample removed from his bone marrow. These cells were then enriched so that they could develop into heart cells and renew themselves.
The operation took place a few weeks ago and the patient is doing very well. Doctors have even noted that the contraction capacity of his heart has improved. This has improved the ability of the patient’s heart to pump blood.
Dr. Nicolas Noiseux is a cardiac surgeon at the CHUM and principal investigator in the study. He says, "No research team in the country had implemented such a complete treatment process, going from harvesting stem cells in the patient, treating them, and injecting them directly into the myocardium."
Stem cells in the heart are recommended for people with chronic heart failure. This technique is less invasive than a transplant, which is often the only option for these patients.
In the coming months, twenty others will test this technique. The University of Toronto will also start to take part in the trial.