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| Liver implant gives boy 'another chance of life' | Liver implant gives boy 'another chance of life' |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| By Fergus Walsh Medical correspondent, BBC News | By Fergus Walsh Medical correspondent, BBC News |
| Doctors in London say they have cured a baby boy of a life-threatening disease which was destroying his liver. | Doctors in London say they have cured a baby boy of a life-threatening disease which was destroying his liver. |
| They implanted cells which acted like a temporary liver, allowing the damaged organ to recover. | They implanted cells which acted like a temporary liver, allowing the damaged organ to recover. |
| The team at King's College Hospital in south London say the technique is a world first. | The team at King's College Hospital in south London say the technique is a world first. |
| Eight-month-old Iyaad Syed now looks the picture of health - but six months ago he was close to death. A virus had damaged his liver causing it to fail. | Eight-month-old Iyaad Syed now looks the picture of health - but six months ago he was close to death. A virus had damaged his liver causing it to fail. |
| Instead of going on a waiting list for a transplant, doctors injected donor liver cells into his abdomen. | Instead of going on a waiting list for a transplant, doctors injected donor liver cells into his abdomen. |
| These processed toxins and produced vital proteins - acting rather like a temporary liver. | These processed toxins and produced vital proteins - acting rather like a temporary liver. |
| The cells were coated with a chemical found in algae which prevented them from being attacked by the immune system. | The cells were coated with a chemical found in algae which prevented them from being attacked by the immune system. |
| After two weeks his own liver had begun to recover. | After two weeks his own liver had begun to recover. |
| Professor Anil Dhawan, a liver specialist at King's College Hospital, says the whole team at the hospital is delighted: | Professor Anil Dhawan, a liver specialist at King's College Hospital, says the whole team at the hospital is delighted: |
| "This is the first time this treatment has been used to treat a child with acute liver failure. It's only a few months back when I first saw this child who was so sick requiring support on dialysis and a breathing machine. | "This is the first time this treatment has been used to treat a child with acute liver failure. It's only a few months back when I first saw this child who was so sick requiring support on dialysis and a breathing machine. |
| "We think we have given him another chance of life and seeing him now six months down the road with nearly normal liver function is remarkable." | "We think we have given him another chance of life and seeing him now six months down the road with nearly normal liver function is remarkable." |
| Dr Ragai Mitry, Head of Liver Processing at King's, who helped in developing the technique, said: | Dr Ragai Mitry, Head of Liver Processing at King's, who helped in developing the technique, said: |
| "We are very pleased the transplanted liver cells have helped in supporting and delivering the missing metabolic functions of Iyaad's failing liver." | "We are very pleased the transplanted liver cells have helped in supporting and delivering the missing metabolic functions of Iyaad's failing liver." |
| Iyaad's father, Jahangeer, said his son was "a miracle boy". He added: "Once he had the treatment after 48 hours he started to get better and hope came back. It is brilliant and we are very proud of him." | Iyaad's father, Jahangeer, said his son was "a miracle boy". He added: "Once he had the treatment after 48 hours he started to get better and hope came back. It is brilliant and we are very proud of him." |
| Clinical trials | Clinical trials |
| The question now is whether the technique could be used to benefit other patients with acute liver failure. The team at King's is urging caution - a large clinical trial is needed to test the effectiveness of the technique. | The question now is whether the technique could be used to benefit other patients with acute liver failure. The team at King's is urging caution - a large clinical trial is needed to test the effectiveness of the technique. |
| A key benefit over a liver transplant is that Iyaad will not need to take anti-rejection drugs known as immuno suppressants. | A key benefit over a liver transplant is that Iyaad will not need to take anti-rejection drugs known as immuno suppressants. |
| Andrew Langford, Chief Executive of the British Liver Trust, said: "The principle of this new technique is certainly ground-breaking and we would welcome the results of further clinical trials to see if it could become a standard treatment for both adults and children. | Andrew Langford, Chief Executive of the British Liver Trust, said: "The principle of this new technique is certainly ground-breaking and we would welcome the results of further clinical trials to see if it could become a standard treatment for both adults and children. |
| "Sadly, we have reached a breaking point with our transplant list in the UK, where approximately 100 people die waiting for a donor liver to become available each year." | "Sadly, we have reached a breaking point with our transplant list in the UK, where approximately 100 people die waiting for a donor liver to become available each year." |
| King's College Hospital is part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a collaboration between King's College Hospital; Guy's and St Thomas'; and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts, with King's College London university. The partnership aims to accelerate the transition of research from bench to bedside. |