By Luis Fabregas
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
 

Researchers at Allegheny General Hospital are studying a way to treat heart attack patients with an infusion of adult bone marrow stem cells, hospital officials said Thursday.

Stem cell therapy to heal scarred heart tissue has been tested before, but this treatment is given through an intravenous line placed in the arm or hand instead of an injection into the heart muscle, said Dr. Robert Biederman, director of AGH's Cardiovascular MRI Center and the hospital's principal investigator in the study.

"This stem cell approach affords a beautiful opportunity to do it non-invasively," Biederman said.

Allegheny General is one of 38 medical centers in the United States enrolling patients, who must have had only one heart attack within seven days of getting the treatment. Biederman said between 12 and 15 patients will be enrolled locally.

The first was Kathleen Caliendo of Scott. Caliendo, 53, underwent the stem cell infusion about two weeks ago, a couple of days after suffering a heart attack.

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