New Nose, Tear Duct or Ears, Anyone?
According to scientist Alexander Seifalian of the University College London, fabricating new noses, tear ducts or ears resembles the process of making a cake but using a different sort of oven to bake it. It takes only a little salt and sugar, then, viola, the patient’s new nose is ready for attachment. That’s just what they did last year for a patient who had lost his nose to cancer. With a polymer mix, salt, sugar…any vanilla with that?..the scientists baked it up after adding their secret ingredient. That ingredient? Stem cells. https://in.news.yahoo.com/scientists-growing-human-body-parts-lab-using-stem-062138783.html
To most of us now, the procedure sounds revolutionary! Of course, ears are harder than noses, so perhaps there’s an extra charge for more cartilage. One must harvest that cartilage from the patient’s own ribs, says Dr. Michelle Griffin, a plastic surgeon on Seifalian’s team. http://www.medicaldaily.com/scientists-use-stem-cells-grow-body-parts-their-lab-including-noses-ears-and-tear-ducts-275122
At HFS, the ramifications for economic impacts on general organ harvesting seem unclear, but organ manufacturing appears set to launch a disruptive technology in the medical field. What do you think?