Two Covington, La., doctors have successfully used adult stem-cell therapy to help patients fight heart disease.
Drs. Gabriel Lasala and Jose Manguell took stem cells from Patricia Walch’s bone marrow and inserted them into her damaged artery. Since the procedure, Walch said she feels better and is able to walk without chest pain or breathing problems.
"(Stem cells) have the abilities to reproduce indefinitely,” Lasala said. “Stem cells can produce bone, cartilage, muscle or cells with circulating blood. I believe it is going to be the future for many other diseases, not just heart disease.”
Of the 25 procedures performed by Lasala and Manguell, each patient has reported improvement.