INTRAMYOCARDIAL STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION IN CARDIAC SURGERY: FROM PRECLINICAL BACKGROUNDS TO THE PERFECT TRIAL

Abstract

After initial reports of successful stem cell delivery to the injured heart, the clinical feasibility and safety of this new therapeutic strategy has been established, thereby focusing on the treatment of ischemic heart disease. Over 3000 patients with either recent myocardial infarction or chronic ischemic heart failure have been treated so far by means of interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery. Prospective clinical studies could prove the safety of both interventional intracoronary stem cell injection as well as surgical intramyocardial cell injection (4, 5).