Woman given a new 3D-printed windpipe in a world-first
Woman given a new 3D-printed windpipe in a world-first
Scientists have designed and successfully transplanted a 3D-printed windpipe for the first time. Read here to find out more.
The scientists obtained nasal stem cells and cartilage cells from other patients to create these elements – cells which were discarded during a procedure to treat nasal congestion and from a nasal septum surgery.
One of the procedure's major breakthroughs is that the patient did not require any immunosuppressants. And, six months after the operation, the windpipe is not only healing well but new blood vessels are starting to form.
This seems like a big deal. Would be interesting to know how they managed it.
On the face of it, to my layman brain, this sound insanely good. I mean, imagine that we would be able to scale it up, and we could manufacture transplant organs on lines.
Maybe not organs per se, but it's still a good start, since they're a good deal more complicated than cartilage, and the immune system tends to be more finicky about them.
i wonder how far this could go. New heart, lungs, eyes?
The only issue here is have they got a handle on making complex structures to make a new eye
I hope her surgeon wasn't named Paolo Macchiarini.
Paolo Macchiarini
Exactly the name I was thinking of when I read the headline. Yikes. I sure hope this one isn't a quack and she dies from blood infection in a few weeks/months.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who immediately thought of this
The article says she's fine 6 months later, so everything went well, most likely.
I'm only impressed if it's 3d printed directly into her body
Wh.. why would you not be impressed by printing organs?