Publications by authors named "Andreas Fech"
We noted recently that the injection of cells with a needle through a cystoscope in the urethral sphincter muscle of pigs failed to deposit them nearby or at the intended target position in about 50% of all animals investigated ( > 100). Increasing the chance for precise cell injection by shotgun approaches employing several circumferential injections into the sphincter muscle bears the risk of tissue injury. In this study, we developed and tested a novel needle-free technique to precisely inject cells in the urethral sphincter tissue, or other tissues, using a water-jet system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe reprogramming of patient´s somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and the consecutive differentiation into cardiomyocytes enables new options for the treatment of infarcted myocardium. In this study, the applicability of a hydrojet-based method to deliver footprint-free iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes into the myocardium was analyzed. A new hydrojet system enabling a rapid and accurate change between high tissue penetration pressures and low cell injection pressures was developed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study aimed to explore the effectiveness of needle-free cell injections using a novel waterjet technology for treating stress urinary incontinence in preclinical settings involving minipigs.
- Compared to traditional needle injections, the waterjet method demonstrated faster and more precise delivery of porcine adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (pADSCs) into the urethral sphincter without causing adverse effects like bleeding or swelling.
- The research confirmed the viability of injected cells using imaging and genetic analysis, establishing the waterjet technology as a promising method for future interventions, while also suggesting the need for further studies to assess its clinical applications.
Aims: In a recent preclinical study, we noticed that injection of cells in the urethral sphincter by needle through a cystoscope under visual control frequently yielded in misplacement or loss of cells. We, therefore, investigated if a needle-free waterjet device delivers viable cells under defined settings, including injection volume and pressure, fluid velocity and transportation media, precisely through the urothelium and connective tissue close to the sphincter muscle without full penetration of the sphincter apparatus.
Methods: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) were prepared for needle-free waterjet injections.