Stem Cell Trial Participants Thank The Doctors Who Treated Them at the University of Miami–Stem Cells for Heart Failure

We have a bit of this going on in Los Angeles too with amazing results being seen. The video below shows one patient who received treatment at Cedar Sinai. As you can read further this is double-blind” clinical trial to where some get real stem cells and others get a placebo treatment. Patients are allowed of course to decide whether or not to participate and each case is different as there could be other options in some cases as well in the device world.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Stem Cell Trial Reports Success With Cardiovascular Repair With Reducing Size of Enlarged Heart and Increased Ability to Pump Blood

The US is not alone with using stem cells for heart attack victims and you can read more about what’s occurring in the Netherlands. Cytori is an interesting company that GE has investing that does the processing for the harvesting of the stem cells.

Cytori To Begin Stem Cell Treatment in the Netherlands for Heart Attack Victims And Trial Results are Looking Very Good

Research is working hard and heavy to move beyond the heart as well and see if perhaps the same regenerative methodologies would also work with other body parts such as the liver, kidney and pancreas. What is also amazing too is the short amount of time that has lapsed here with having to inject stem cells directly into a beating heart and the ability to use a catheter through groin, which is what is done today to open artery blockages. This is why stem cell research and development needs to continue and the ruling last week for this was a breath of fresh air and hopefully the NIH and the government can finally put this issue to bed so life saving technologies can continue. BD

More than 50 patients reunited Friday to thank doctors who are treating them in a new series of clinical trials at University of Miami by injecting stem cells into their damaged hearts to heal them. Optimism reigned, although final results are years away.

Irastorza, a Miami property manager, said he died briefly on Oct. 6, 2008. A genetic defect gave him such a serious heart attack that his heart stopped for a few minutes. Doctors who revived him said half his heart was dead and warned him to prepare for a short, disabled life. They wanted to insert a defibrillator into his chest.

“I didn’t want that,” he said. “I didn’t want to give up sex and dancing.”

On March 3, 2010, UM doctors used a catheter inserted through a slit in his groin to inject millions of tiny stem cells into his damaged heart.

Under FDA rules for “double-blind” clinical trials, some participants got real stem cells, others got placebos for purposes of comparison. Most won’t find out which they got until the end of the trials in 2012.

Stem Cell trial volunteers thank doctors at reunion lunch - Miami-Dade - MiamiHerald.com