http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/surgeon-anthony-atala-creates-new-kidney-on-stage/story-e6frg6so-1226016026031
Surgeon, Anthony Atala, creates new kidney on stage From: AFP March 04, 2011 4:12PM A SURGEON specialising in regenerative medicine yesterday "printed" a real kidney using a machine that eliminates the need for donors when it comes to organ transplants. "It's like baking a cake," Anthony Atala of the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine said as he cooked up a fresh kidney on stage at a conference in the California city of Long Beach. Scanners are used to take a 3D image of a kidney that needs replacing, then a tissue sample about half the size of postage stamp is used to seed the computerised process, Atala explained. The organ "printer" then works layer-by-layer to build a replacement kidney replicating the patient's tissue. College student Luke Massella was among the first people to receive a printed kidney during experimental research a decade ago when he was just 10 years old. He said he was born with spina bifida and his kidneys were not working. "Now, I'm in college and basically trying to live life like a normal kid," said Massella, who was reunited with Atala at the conference. "This surgery saved my life and made me who I am today." About 90 per cent of people waiting for transplants are in need of kidneys, and the need far outweighs the supply of donated organs, according to Atala. "There is a major health crisis today in terms of the shortage of organs," Atala said. "Medicine has done a much better job of making us live longer, and as we age our organs don't last." Related Coverage a.. Novel virus undetectable: surgeon The Australian, 2 days ago b.. Kidney gift of life keeps Andy going Courier Mail, 10 days ago c.. Talk to your GP about organ donation Adelaide Now, 21 Feb 2011 d.. Time to make an important choice Herald Sun, 19 Feb 2011 e.. Surgeons give kidney to wrong person The Australian, 18 Feb 2011 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Post message: [email protected] Subscribe : [email protected] Unsubscribe : [email protected] List owner : [email protected] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
