Donor stem cells offer hope for congenital heart conditions

Donor stem cells that have already saved a child born with a congenital heart defect could help others avoid multiple surgeries.

Congenital heart defects are a common anomaly seen in babies, which include defects to the baby's heart valves, the major blood vessels in and around the heart and the development of holes in the heart. While open-heart surgery can repair the problem, the materials used for patches or replacement heart valves cannot grow with the baby, and need to be replaced periodically, meaning children must undergo the same surgery multiple times.

'For years families have come to us asking why their child needs to have heart surgery time and time again. Although each operation can be lifesaving, the experience can put an unbelievable amount of stress on the child and their parents,' said Massimo Caputo, professor of congenital heart surgery at the University of Bristol.

Professor Caputo has develop a novel stem cell patch or 'plaster' to be sewn over holes in the heart and boost heart tissue repair, and is working on bioprinted structures to fix more complex defects.

'If successful, this new stem cell therapy, which acts like a healing plaster could revolutionise the results of heart surgery for children and adults living with congenital heart disease. It could offer a solution that means their heart is mended once and forever in a single operation, preventing people from facing a future of repeated surgeries and giving them the gift of a happier and healthier life,' said Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan from the British Heart Foundation.

Clinical trials of the new patches are planned within the next two years.

Professor Caputo was also behind a word-first operation where donor stem cells were injected into the heart of an infant whose condition worsened after open heart surgery. The child, who would otherwise have died, received an infusion of stem cells from a placenta bank into the left side of his heart, where they helped grow new blood vessels and increase blood supply. The child is now two years old.