Cell technique used on pigs offers hope to heart patients

Karen Chong, with the National Heart Centre, has developed a method which regenerates heart muscles and blood vessels in pigs after induced heart attacks, The Straits Times said. In the new treatment, stem cells taken from the bone marrow of nine pigs were injected into the damaged hearts, Chong said.

New heart muscles and blood vessels grew through the scar tissue, she said, enabling the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. The first patients who could benefit are those who are seriously ill and waiting for heart transplants, Chong said. Patients with rare blood types could also be considered for the trials since it is extremely difficult for them to find a transplant match.

"This can improve the functioning of their heart and might make it possible for them to get up and walk about and not be bed-bound," Chong was quoted as saying. Stressing the result would not be a miracle cure, Chong said it could nonetheless help improve their quality of life and may mean they require less medicine to stay alive. Before trials on human patients start, Chong said she needs to test the method on 30 pigs. It had been tested so far on 10.

(la/dpa)