Stem-cell treatment restores mans eyesight


Following a vicious attack 15 years ago, Russell Turnbull was left blind in one eye and with little hope he would ever regain his vision. The attack happened late one night when Mr. Turnbull was returning home on a bus, he tried to break up a fight which resulted in his attacker spraying ammonia into his right eye. The ammonia severely scarred his cornea, leaving him with a condition called Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency (LSCD) which is an unpleasant condition requiring continual medical attention. 

However, with the help of the fantastic team of researchers and surgeons at North East England Stem Cell Institute (NESCI), using the technique they have developed, they have restored Mr. Turnball’s sight along with 7 other patients. The procedure involved taking a one millimeter square section from his left eye (his undamaged eye) which contained stem-cells. These cells are then multiplied in a laboratory, where they grow by 400 times the one millimeter square. This new layer of skin is then used to replace the damaged cornea, stitched onto it to replace the membrane that has been affected.

Not only has this surgery transformed Mr. Turnball’s life; it could provide hope to thousand’s of people who suffer from corneal diseases or damaged corneas. Remarkably, this surgery is not just a temporary cure for the patients but should hopefully provide a permanent cure, relieving them from unnecessary suffering, frequent visits to the hospital and the ability to live their life to the full. One of the pioneer’s of the procedure, Mr. Sajjad Ahmad, from Newcastle University, confirms that they hope that this treatment doesn’t just stop at corneal damage but can help those with corneal diseases. The procedure is currently being studied further on 24 patients and has received funding from the UK’s Medical Research Council. It is hoped that clinics could be carrying out this procedure in the not too distant future.

23rd December 2009

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