The world's first stem cell transplant has been performed on a teenage boy, who suffered a massive heart attack after being shot in the heart by a nail gun.

Doctors are waiting with baited breath to see whether the stem cells will help 16-year-old Michigan teenager, Dimitri Bonnville, to regain lost heart tissue. If the operation is successful, Bonnville may not need a heart transplant.

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Harvesting stem cells
The procedure that was performed on the 21st of February, began with doctors giving the boy a drug that stimulates the production of stem cells in the blood.

Cardiologists then harvested and concentrated stem cells from the boy's own blood. These cells were then infused, via a catheter, into the damaged artery. Heading up the surgery was Dr Steven Timmis.

The unique procedure aims to stimulate blood vessel and heart muscle growth in damaged areas of the heart.

Master cells
Stem cells are also called "master cells" because they can change into various body tissues. Today, using stem cells to repair damaged areas in the heart is the in-thing in medical research.

The survivors of major heart attacks are usually left with damaged heart muscle. This damage hampers the heart's pumping capacity and the person can end up with progressive heart failure.

Recently, German and Hong Kong researchers attempted a much more invasive procedure on heart attack patients when they tried to harvest stem cells from a patient's bone marrow.

Last year, Australian surgeons successfully repaired a 74-year-old man's heart by using bone marrow stem cells.

An alternative to a heart transplant
Bonnville had the nail-gun accident on the 1st of February. In an emergency operation, doctors removed the nail and closed up the wound. The boy had a heart attack and had to undergo another operation in which a stent was used to unblock a major artery.

The boy was in a grave condition and doctors did not think that it would improve, so they decided to try the experimental procedure. Bonnville's only other option was a heart transplant.

Doctors hoped that the stem cell procedure would slow down his heart's deterioration and perhaps even reverse it. If Bonnville's heart function is restored, he may be able to avoid a heart transplant.

Bonnville's doctors are encouraged by the fact that the patient's heart function went from about 25% before the operation to 35% after it. – (HealthScout News)

Read more:
Heart regenerates after heart attack
Stem cells may mend broken heart
 

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