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----- Original Message -----
From: "Phen Varghese" <phenvargh...@gmail.com>
To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in>
Cc: <l...@voicevision.in>; <keralavis...@googlegroups.com>;
<rcgs...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 02, 2012 12:27 PM
Subject: [AI] Stem cell therapy for cornea treatment
Stem cell therapy for cornea treatment
K. V. Kurmanath
A view of the damaged eye (left) and restored vision following stem
cell therapy (file photo)
Hyderabad, June 2: Picking stem cells from a patient’s body, sending
it to a sophisticated laboratory to culture a tissue and then
implanting it are passé.
A team of doctors at L.V. Prasad Eye Institute has used the tea bag or
sprinkler approach to regenerate stem cells. The organisation has
developed a lab-free technique that could be available off-the-shelf.
This allows eye surgeons with usual facilities to perform the
procedure.
The team, led by Dr Virender Singh Sangwan, used this technique to
treat those who suffered chemical injuries, resulting in bleeding in
the cornea.
“Instead of sending stem cells to the lab for culture, the doctor
picked the required number of stem cells around the cornea and
sprinkled on the damaged area and then put a contact lens. In 15 days,
he sees development of a good layer in the place of injured area,”
Prof. Balasubramanian, Head of Research at LVPEI, said.
A winner of the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar prize, Dr Sangwan
said he had conducted the procedure on about 25 patients with good
results. This had been published in international scientific
magazines.
He is now in the process of developing tools to help doctors.
Leber Congenital Amaurosis
Children down with the rare ocular disorders that result in gradual
loss of sight can hope for a cure. Doctors are working on a gene
therapy to correct this problem caused by consanguineous marriages.
Though this therapy is in vogue abroad, LVPEI says it is the first
centre to carry out research on this procedure. Technically called LCA
or Leber Congenital Amaurosis, doctors would refer patients to a gene
analysis after studying them for indications.
Blurred vision or tunnelling of vision are some of the symptoms. “We
will look for a wrong gene and go for removal of the wrong gene or
adding a new one,” Prof. Balasubramanian, Head of Research of LVPEI,
said.
He, however, said it would take 1-2 years for the therapy to be
available for patients. He was addressing the media, along with the
founder-Chair of LVPEI, Dr Gullapalli N Rao, to mark 25th anniversary
of the institute.
kurman...@thehindu.co.in
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