To the Stem cells are being used to restore vision of people who suffered chemical burns.
The treatment has proven efficient and promising, with positive results in the four patients who underwent transplantation in the first phase of testing.
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Through an innovative procedure, doctors developed a cell manufacturing technique to solve deficiencies in the corneas.
O new treatment It was called Autologous Limbal Epithelial Cell Culture Transplantation (CALEC).
The patients had severe burns to one of their eyes. After the procedure with cells taken from the healthy eye, a significant improvement in vision was identified.
This way they were able to get in line for a cornea transplant. Doctors were then able to perform the transplant and treat damaged eye regions.
In total, five patients were enrolled and four men aged 31 to 52 years underwent new CALEC transplantation.
Corneal transplant with stem cells
According to the article, the selected patients suffered injuries to one of their corneas. Doctors then used the cells from the healthy eye to make new cells for the CALEC transplant.
The cells are removed from a region called the limbus, located in the external area of the eye. After being removed, they were cultivated and standardized and underwent pre-clinical testing.
Then, the four patients received the transplant and, over the months, doctors observed the progress of the procedure.
The results of the eye surgeries were positive, as three patients had a significant improvement in their vision and became eligible for corneal transplantation.
“The initial phase of this trial established the feasibility of the product manufacturing method without immediate safety concerns, allowing a second phase of recruitment to provide long-term safety and efficacy data in more patients”, says the article about the procedure.
(Image: Canaltech/Reproduction)
Eye chemical burns
Chemical burns can happen in accidents at home or at work, especially in industrial roles.
The accident occurs when chemical substances come into contact with the eyes and cause damage to vision. Symptoms can range from irritation to complete loss of sensation.
In the case of patients selected for transplants, one man suffered burns from sodium hydroxide, while another suffered an acid burn.
Regardless of the cause, chemical eye burns can result in serious and permanent damage to the eyes.
After the first positive data, researchers will continue carrying out procedures to establish new paths for cell therapy in the United States.
