Groundbreaking operation gives surgeons hope

SURGEONS hope the groundbreaking surgery carried out on 11-year-old Ciarán Finn-Lynch will lead to arevolution in regenerative medicine.

It marked a huge step forward from pioneering surgery in Spain two years ago on 30-year-old mother-of-two Claudia Castillo, the first person toreceive a transplant organ created from stem cells.

Ms Castillo was given a section of tracheal airway rebuilt from stem cells, although doctors grew the new tissue outside her body in a special ‘bioreactor’ and then transplanted it into her body. In Ciarán’s case, his own body was used as a ‘living bioreactor’.