First Minimally Invasive Stem Cell Implantation for Heart Failure in the World

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) March 20, 2004 -- Montevideo, Uruguay- A 74 year old engineer with end stage heart failure was treated with stem cell therapy, by a group of multi-national heart surgeons, using a very small camera and instruments at the Asociacion Espanola Primera de Socorros Mutuos of Uruguay.

The patient has had severe heart failure for the past 10 years and had minimal improvement with the best medical management. He was continuously short of breath while performing his daily routine.

The stem cell therapy involves taking the patient�s own bone marrow and purifying it to obtain the type of stem cells which will hopefully give rise to new blood vessels and muscle so the heart can get more oxygen and function better.

�This patient is the first in the world to receive a minimally invasive direct surgical implantation of stems cells into his heart. We have been performing stem cell therapy for heart failure for over one year with excellent results. Our first patient, who received this therapy in Argentina, had New York Heart Association Class IV heart failure (which is the worst). He was short breath while sitting in place. After his therapy, he currently has no symptoms of heart failure after one year. We continue to follow him and our forty other patients who are part of out multi-national stem trial for heart failure,� Dr. Amit N. Patel MD MS, University of Pittsburgh & Baylor University Medical Center, USA, who devised the procedure with Dr. Benetti.

�Stem cell therapy for heart failure has the potential to help millions of people around the world. If used early, stem cell therapy may decrease the need for heart transplantation.� Dr Federico Benetti MD� President of Benetti Foundation, Argentina.



The Benetti Foundation based in Argentina helps in the education and research in the treatment of heart disease around the world.