No improvement in heart tissue after bone marrow cell injection during heart surgery
Author Information
Author(s): Tossios Paschalis, Müller-Ehmsen Jochen, Schmidt Matthias, Scheid Christof, Ünal Nermin, Moka Detlef, Schwinger Robert HG, Mehlhorn Uwe
Primary Institution: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cologne
Hypothesis
Does injecting bone marrow cells into the heart improve tissue viability after surgery?
Conclusion
Injecting bone marrow cells during heart surgery did not improve heart tissue viability or function.
Supporting Evidence
- Five patients showed no change in myocardial viability after the procedure.
- Two patients had a 75% increase in myocardial viability, but overall results were not significant.
- All patients remained free of angina at the 3-month follow-up.
Takeaway
Doctors tried to help sick heart tissue by injecting it with special cells from bone marrow, but it didn't work as they hoped.
Methodology
Seven patients undergoing CABG surgery had bone marrow cells injected into their hearts, and their heart function was assessed using SPECT and PET imaging before and after the procedure.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and lacked a control group.
Participant Demographics
5 men and 2 women, average age 60 years, all with a history of myocardial infarction.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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