A Baltimore man whose tracheal cancer had progressed beyond the point of operation now has a second chance at life, thanks to a remarkable new procedure. Christopher Lyles is a 30-year-old electrical engineer who, just last November, received a tracheal transplant made from plastic fibers covered by his own stem cells. The procedure, which was led by Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, director of the Advanced Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, opens the door to future operations where it may be possible to produce replacement tissues and organs outside of the body.
Typically, patients who receive transplants require immunosuppressive drugs in order to avoid rejection of the new tissue or organ. However, Mr. Lyles did not require such a treatment regimen since his own cells were used in the cultivation of the new trachea. While no one is sure how long such a trachea will last without causing problems, ACSH's Dr. Ruth Kava notes that it s still a medical marvel and will hopefully provide impetus for future advances in transplant and stem cell research.
