Heart Failure Patients Flock to Thailand in Hopes of Survival Through Experimental Stem Cell Technique…
Esteban Bonilla felt no anxiety as he was wheeled into the operating room at a hospital in Bangkok, even though his surgery was just minutes away.
A Ray of Hope for Many
”I’m really not worried! I’ve been waiting to die for the past five years, but now I have hope for life”… said E. Bonilla, an American patient who has been suffering from heart failure since he was just 32 years old.
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Stem Cells Isolated from Umbilical Cord Blood |
Bonilla’s source of hope is a new therapy involving the injection of stem cells into the heart to regenerate heart tissue.
The stem cells in question are derived from the patient’s own blood.
This technique eliminates the risk of rejection as well as the ethical concerns surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells.
According to cardiac surgeon Kitipan V. Arom of Bangkok Heart Hospital, this technique could benefit those who are not candidates for heart transplants or who cannot afford frequent hospital visits.
He has performed this procedure on 27 patients since May 2005, including Bonilla. Each surgery lasts about two hours.
After such a procedure, George Efaw, a 65-year-old pilot from Wisconsin who sprays chemicals on crops, reported feeling much better than before. He had to mortgage his home to pay $31,500 for the surgery in Thailand.
However, this technique is not yet approved for use in the United States, where approximately 500,000 people suffer from heart failure each year—a condition that leaves them breathless after performing normal activities, such as climbing stairs.
Thailand: The Future Center for Stem Cells
Theravitae, a company developing technology to extract stem cells from human blood, states that these treatments aim to demonstrate the technique’s success in humans.
Currently, this method does not cause arrhythmias, unlike therapies that use stem cells from muscle or bone marrow.
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Heart Failure Patient Bob Grinstead (right) from Roswell, Georgia, feels very healthy after receiving stem cell treatment in Thailand. He is happily watching television with his wife, Barbara. |
Nevertheless, Dr. Kitipan noted that the long-term effects of this stem cell technique remain unclear. It is possible that patients may require a second surgery. So far, only 70 patients have received stem cell injections, and Thailand is the only place testing this technique.
In January 2006, Theravitae and Thai doctors will begin clinical trials to treat peripheral artery disease—a circulatory condition that can lead to amputations.
This technique will also be applied to Parkinson’s patients by mid-2006 and to certain types of blindness in the first quarter of 2007. Ultimately, the technology will be utilized to treat emphysema, fractures, kidney failure, and diabetes.
Theravitae estimates that by July 2006, around 100 people per month will travel to Thailand for stem cell treatment. The number of patients has already increased by 600%.
Minh Sơn (According to Reuters)
