The tissue transplant has 'renewed' a Belgian

A Belgian woman had a larynx that worked well after the surgeons implanted the tracheal cells of a dead man into the arm, which will develop new blood vessels before implanting into the throat.

My life before surgery was very difficult .

Over two and a half years Linda De Croock has lived in persistent pain from a car accident that has hurt her throat.

Experts say that the way doctors make their bodies accept new donor tissues will be new improvements in developing and nurturing the internal organs of patients.

This technical method at first glance seemed to be science fiction, but Linda said that it completely changed her life, she no longer used anti-rejection drugs.

In a phone interview, the 54-year-old Belgian woman said: 'My life before surgery was very difficult, with sharp, persistent pain in my throat and windpipe'. .

The doctors of the University of Belgium Leuven Hospital implanted donated tracheal tissue into De Croock's arm, this tissue transplantation was the first step for her body to accept the new organ and start over again. The blood supply to the body. About 10 months later, when tissues developed enough to stop using the drug, the trachea would be moved to an appropriate location. Details of this surgery are published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.

Professor Pierre Delaere, the director of the surgery, said: 'This is an important step in tracheal tissue transplantation.'

For years, De Croock has lived with the pain and inconvenience of two small metal rods positioned to expand his larynx. She went to find doctors who could help and she found Dr. Delaere online. 'I always wondered if there were so many things possible, so why can't I have a new windpipe?' Ms. De Crcoock said.

When doctors received an appropriate donor, they wrapped it in De Croock's tissue and implanted it in the lower left arm, then they connected it to the aorta to reset the flow. of blood.

De Croock said that the feeling of having a windpipe in the arm was strange and uncomfortable.

Body and biological reaction

In about 8 months, De Croock had to take medicine to prevent the immune system from eliminating the new organ. Although some tissues of the donor man still remain, De Croock's tissues have grown enough to stabilize the new organ so she does not need to use anti-rejection drugs anymore.

Patrick Warnke, a tissue engineer and specialist at Bond University in Australia, said that this is the first time a large donor-like organ is nourished inside the recipient's body before being implanted into a human body. there. This shows us that one day, we can use patients' bodies as a bioreactor to develop their own tissue.

My life has changed completely

Tracheal transplantation.

After surgery on De Croock, Delaere and colleagues, a similar transplant was performed on an 18-year-old man, and two other patients were preparing for treatment. Professor Eric Genden of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, who also conducted a tracheal transplant surgery, said that Belgians have received tissue transplantation technology intellectually and interestingly. He also said that complex expertise and techniques will be easily reused by other doctors.

This surgery greatly influenced De Croock, who said: 'Now I'm very happy, I feel my life has completely changed. I was really able to do what I wanted '.

Every 6 months, she went for a CT scan to check her new trachea, but did not use any medicine or treatment. However, the doctors are still wary of having too much pressure on the windpipe and she has some limitations when exercising.

Delaere said: 'Her voice is very good and her breathing is very normal. I used to think she couldn't run a marathon, but her condition is very good. '