Stem Cells Heal Hearts

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.

About 5.8 million Americans have heart failure, a condition that occurs when the heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet the bodys needs. Now, researchers say a special type of stem cell may be the key to repairing these hearts.

Golf has always been a big part of Ron Signorellis life.

I started when I was ten, Ron told Ivanhoe.

However, Rons congestive heart failure was keeping him away from his favorite pastime.

I was in the hospital over 20 times, Ron said.

Rons heart pumped only 15 percent of blood. He needed help fast.

Theres a large number of patients out there that are really in this situation where theyre gone past what normal medical therapy can do, but yet theyre not sick enough or dont qualify for a heart transplant, Timothy D. Henry, MD, Director of Research Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, told Ivanhoe.

Now, a new approach can help patients like Ron. First, doctors extract bone marrow stem cells from the patient. Then, they grow the cells to enhance their healing ability. Those cells are then injected directly into the patients heart.

Our hopes are we improve the quality of their life, as well as the length of their life, Dr. Henry said.

Originally posted here:
Stem Cells Heal Hearts