| The Evening Telegraph can reveal that Owen, a seven-year-old steeplechaser, became the first horse in Scotland to be treated with an advanced technique of stem cell implantation.
While it must be stressed yesterday’s operation did not involve the controversial form of embryonic stem cell research which has hit the headlines in recent years, it is being seen in veterinary circles as a major breakthrough which could pave the way for more pioneering treatments for animals in future.
The transplant, at an undisclosed farm in central Fife, was carried out by specialist equine vet Andrew McDiarmid of Lanark.
Two weeks previously, a sample of the horse’s bone marrow was taken by Mr McDiarmid and the stem cells extracted.
The cells were then multiplied in the laboratory by pioneering company VetCell. The whole procedure required the detailed use of ultrasound, firstly to diagnose the site of damage within the tendon, then to locate the site to extract the bone marrow, and finally to inject the cells (usually 5-6 million) back into the area of tendon damage.
Mr McDiarmid, who is a specialist in equine orthopaedics and head of the equine division of Clyde Vet Group in Lanark, implanted the stem cells into a damaged flexor tendon of Owen, who had been in training with a racehorse-trainer in central Fife.
In an interview with the Evening Telegraph today, Mr McDiarmid, who has been at the forefront of equine tendon treatment for the last 10 years, explained tendon injuries are all too common in horses, particularly racehorses.
“The majority of horses who sustain tendon injury require 9-12 months’ rehabilitation and many do not return to racing,” he said.
“In a few cases, the extent of the tendon damage is such that horses are put down on humane grounds.
“When implanted into target tissues, stem cells have the ability to metamorphose in the normal cells of that tissue. Injected into tendons, the stem cells transform into tendon cells that help repair the damage. Whilst the treatment is still in the early stages, in theory it is the most effective treatment to date.”
Mr McDiarmid said it should be stressed that the stem cells are autologous (from the same animal) and have no connection with embryonic stem cell research, which has been at the root of most recent controversy.
The stem cells needed to transform into new tendon cells are found in great numbers in bone marrow.
He explained that in time stem cell implantation may become a routine procedure if the results on Owen and others prove a success. He added, “We currently offer bone marrow transplants for check and suspensory ligament injuries but stem cell implantation takes treatment a significant step further.” |
