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A man from Clermont County is the first in this part of the country to test a breakthrough treatment to repair the heart.
Local 12's Liz Bonis introduces us to him in today's Medical Edge.
Just a few months ago, when Chris Hoffman had his first heart attack, his doctor told him...
Chris Hoffman, Study Participant: "There's a program out there that can help you recover some of the damage that's been done to your heart."
This program is actually a breakthrough trial, testing the use adult stem cells in a product called prochymal, to see if the heart can heal itself.
"Stem cells are cells which take on the properties of other cells, so the idea is that if you could replace the damaged cells with these newer healthier cells, you could actually cure the disease."
Dr. Dean Kereikes, The Christ Hospital: "These are derived from bone marrow of normal healthy donors, and they are present in all of us. They normally repair things, they go to areas of damage or inflammation and they try and repair those areas."
A member of Doctor Dean Kereikes's team eventually told Hoffman, however, as part of the program, he was also about to become a pioneer.
"When he called me, he said you're going to be the first person in this part of the country to have this done and I thought, well that's great, I am more receptive to what could help everyone in the future and, hopefully, it will help myself. So, it's a great thing."
He really could help change heart treatment forever.
"These cells hone or find the area of injury and they begin their process of repair."
Want to join him? Call the Lindner Research Center at 513-585-1777. This treatment needs to be administered within about a week after a heart attack.
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