A pioneering transplant surgeon has set out ambitious plans to extend the range of surgery by harnessing the power of stem cells.
Brain regeneration, lung repair and replacement of the oesophagus are all in sight for Professor Paolo Macchiarini, the Sweden-based surgeon, who has pioneered the use of bio-engineered body parts.
He set out the range of his work in a talk to the conference of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
He revealed his researchers have already conducted studies on laboratory rats with brain damage aimed at rebuilding brain tissue – with "positive" results.
Their next transplant operation will involve their youngest patient yet, a girl aged two in the USA next month. She was born without a trachea, the portion of throat which the professor specialises in replacing.
There are also plans to transplant the oesophagus, also known as the gullet.
And the researchers have also tested stem cell treatments on patients with acute lung failure, with results that showed promise – although they failed to save the patients.
Professor Macchiarini said: "We learn something from each operation. This means we can develop and refine the technique. We are also evaluating how we can transfer our experiences to other fields, such as neurology.
"The aim is to make as much use of the body’s own healing potential as we can."
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