Intraoperative isolation and processing of BM-derived stem cells

To improve tissue regeneration of ischemic myocardium, autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells have been injected intramyocardially in five patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and transmyocardial laser revascularization. An innovative method for the intraoperative isolation of CD133(+)-stem cells in less than 3 hours has been established. After induction of general anesthesia, approx. 60 - 240 ml of bone marrow were harvested from the posterior iliac crest and processed in the operating room under GMP conditions using the automated cell selection device Clini-MACS. Following standard CABG surgery, LASER channels were shot in predefined areas within the hibernating myocardium. Subsequently, autologous CD133(+)- stem cells (1.9 - 9.7 x 10(6) cells; purity up to 97%) were injected in a predefined pattern around the laser channels. Through the intraoperative isolation of CD133(+)- cells, this effective treatment of ischemic myocardium can be applied to patients scheduled both for elective and for emergency revascularisation procedures.