Amazing medical advances heal wounded troops
September 18, 2012
Scientists are growing ears, bone and skin in the lab, and doctors are planning more face transplants and other extreme plastic surgeries. Around the country, the most advanced medical tools that exist are now being deployed to help America’s newest veterans and wounded troops, Huffington Post reports.
In Los Angeles, surgeons used part of Michael Mills’ forehead to rebuild his nose after a bomb disfigured him in Iraq.
In Pittsburgh, doctors used an experimental therapy from pig tissue to help regrow part of a thigh muscle that Ron Strang lost in a blast in Afghanistan.
In Boston, scientists are making plans for the first implants of lab-grown ears for wounded troops after successful experiments in sheep and rats.
In San Antonio and other cities, doctors are testing sprayed-on skin cells and lab-made sheets of skin to heal burns and other wounds. The ingenuity is impressive: One product was developed from foreskin left over from circumcisions.
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Comments (5)
by Bri
As henous as war is, it has been instrumental in many of societies advancements. Most plastic surgery advances are a direct result of trench warfare. Soldeirs were getting bullets and shrapnel wounds to the head only. Medical advances made it possible to save their lives. This left them severely disfigured, often takeing bullet wounds to the nose and cheeks. Facial reconstruction was born out of the armies need to better the live of veterans.
by Peter Simmons
A nice commentary on human behaviour; advanced medical tools to repair the effects of human’s oldest and least advanced occupation, war. Let’s not stop fighting, just get clever at repairing the damage done.
by Cybernettr
If you think it’s only going to apply to war victims, you’re missing out on the big picture.
by Mr.X
Least advanced? Dschingis’ horde could not stand his ground against any modern day army ^^
by Gorden Russell
You’ve all heard the joke about the guy who worked just for tips.