Congenital heart defects (CHDs) affect 1 in 120 newborns in the United States. Surgical repair of structural heart defects often leads to arrhythmia and increased risk of heart failure. The laboratory has previously developed an acellular fibrin patch reinforced with a biodegradable poly(ether ester urethane) urea mesh that result in improved heart function when tested in a rat right ventricle wall replacement model compared to fixed pericardium. However, this patch does not drive significant neotissue formation. The patch materials are modified here and this patch is prevascularized with human umbilical vein endothelial cells and c-Kit human amniotic fluid stem cells. Rudimentary capillary-like networks form in the fibrin after culture of cell-encapsulated patches for 3 d in vitro. Prevascularized patches and noncell loaded patch controls are implanted onto full-thickness heart wall defects created in the right ventricle of athymic nude rats. Two months after surgery, defect repair with prevascularized patches results in improved heart function and the patched heart area exhibited greater vascularization and muscularization, less fibrosis, and increased M2 macrophage infiltration compared to acellular patches.
Aim: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and feasibility of superficial corneal opacities treated by excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) combined with small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE)-derived corneal stromal lenticule transplantation.
Methods: A retrospective interventional case series of nine patients aged 12-59y with superficial corneal opacity caused by different pathologies who underwent standardized PTK combined with SMILE-derived corneal stromal lenticule transplantation was examined. Lenticule patches were fixed with fibrin glue.
In adults, the limbal stem cells (LSC) reside in the limbal region of the eye, at the junction of the cornea and the sclera where they renew the outer epithelial layer of the cornea assuring transparency. LSC deficiencies (LSCD) due to disease or injury account for one of the major causes of blindness. Among current treatments for LSCD, cornea transparency can be restored by providing new LSC to the damaged eye and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) holds great promise as a new advanced cell source.
Background: Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a rare secondary headache disorder caused by spinal leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. Specialized treatment of SIH consists of epidural blood patches (EBPs), fibrin patching, endovascular sealing, and surgery. The aim of this paper was to characterize SIH patients identified at a tertiary headache center.
Background: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (hUC-MSCs) patch used as an adjuvant therapy in fetal myelomeningocele (MMC) surgery in the ovine model.
Methods: hUC-MSCs were isolated from human umbilical cords (UC) using the explant method, cultured and characterized. hUC-MSCs were then embedded in a fibrin patch.
Department of Radiology, The Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Santa Clara, 700 Lawrence Expy, Santa Clara, CA 95051, USA; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. Electronic address:
There have been major advances in the diagnosis and treatment of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). While once thought to be a rare condition, the occurrence is not uncommon if diagnosed adequately. Our greater understanding of SIH is based on three main points: (1) awareness of the various types of spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks; (2) advanced myelography with the precision to detect dural tears and CSF-venous fistulas; and (3) updated treatment techniques of epidural patching, embolization, and surgery.
