UPMC regrows man's fingertip
By:
Drew Singer
Issue date: 3/26/08 Section: News
Three years ago, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center displayed the future of medicine - by giving a patient the middle finger.
This wasn't just any middle finger. UPMC gave patient Lee Spievack a new powder that, when directly applied, allowed Spievack to regenerate the recently sliced-off tip of his middle finger.
It took about four weeks for the half-inch he had lost in a bloody model airplane incident to grow back.
And ever since, UPMC has been researching advances in this new technology.
The powder is what scientists at Pitt's McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine call an extracellular matrix. The institute was founded in conjunction with the development of the powder.
The matrix, which is made from pig bladders, acts as a biologic scaffold, mobilizing cells to regenerate a missing body part.
"While the healing process usually produces scar tissue, which is not as strong as normal tissue, the scaffold's growth factors encourage the development of strong, healthy tissue," the UPMC Health Journal reported.
The report added, "As the new tissue grows across it, the scaffold is harmlessly absorbed by the body.
No matter where it is placed, the body tends to turn the scaffolding into the type of tissue needed."
While Spievack only needed the powder to regenerate a severed fingertip, some doctors believe that this could be the first step toward developing the technology to regenerate major limbs and organs.
"It's actually what we would consider the holy grail of our field for coronary artery disease," Dr. Joon Sup Lee told CBS.
Lee injected one of his patients with the matrix directly into their heart with the hopes of the patient's body developing new arteries.
UPMC doctors also placed a patch form of the matrix on another patient's heart to regenerate tissue lost in a heart attack.
Another doctor molded the material in the shape of an esophagus to help people with throat cancer.
This wasn't just any middle finger. UPMC gave patient Lee Spievack a new powder that, when directly applied, allowed Spievack to regenerate the recently sliced-off tip of his middle finger.
It took about four weeks for the half-inch he had lost in a bloody model airplane incident to grow back.
And ever since, UPMC has been researching advances in this new technology.
The powder is what scientists at Pitt's McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine call an extracellular matrix. The institute was founded in conjunction with the development of the powder.
The matrix, which is made from pig bladders, acts as a biologic scaffold, mobilizing cells to regenerate a missing body part.
"While the healing process usually produces scar tissue, which is not as strong as normal tissue, the scaffold's growth factors encourage the development of strong, healthy tissue," the UPMC Health Journal reported.
The report added, "As the new tissue grows across it, the scaffold is harmlessly absorbed by the body.
No matter where it is placed, the body tends to turn the scaffolding into the type of tissue needed."
While Spievack only needed the powder to regenerate a severed fingertip, some doctors believe that this could be the first step toward developing the technology to regenerate major limbs and organs.
"It's actually what we would consider the holy grail of our field for coronary artery disease," Dr. Joon Sup Lee told CBS.
Lee injected one of his patients with the matrix directly into their heart with the hopes of the patient's body developing new arteries.
UPMC doctors also placed a patch form of the matrix on another patient's heart to regenerate tissue lost in a heart attack.
Another doctor molded the material in the shape of an esophagus to help people with throat cancer.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
MRS SEEMA Misra
posted 5/01/08 @ 5:18 AM EST
hi my niece got burn on house fire on 2nd april 2007 she was 11 month old at that time, she lost her finger in this tragedy. i wounder if you could help her
thanks
seema misra
00447859901122
Post a Comment