Kazakh scientists transplant animal tissue into human recipients

This is the working name for a biological graft generated from tissue of animals. According to the scientists and doctors of the center, the biological grafts heal wounds in an incredibly short period of time. "The graft would be a useful addition to the burn-management armamentarium. We are actively exploring options for establishing clinical-grade production of these grafts and hope to begin a clinical trial in due course. We need to get approval of the Ministry of Health and then we will start mass production," said Candidate of Medical Science Kabylbek Abugaliyev. The biological graft developed in the Scientific Center of Oncology and Transplantation of Astana will be used in the treatment of major burns. Burn treatment suggests removing the damaged skin and covering the injury, preferably with a graft of a patient's own tissue. When insufficient undamaged skin is available for grafting, tissue from deceased donors is used as a temporary covering. But deceased-donor skin grafts are in short supply and expensive, disadvantages also applying to artificial skin grafts must be carefully tested for pathogens and are eventually rejected by a patient's immune system. According to Abugaliyev, Xenogenic transplants could be harvested in large quantities, moreover, xenografts do not require solution of ethical issues, said K.Abugaliyev.