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London: Surgeons claim to have carried out the world`s first transplant of a fully synthetic organ -- a windpipe created using the a cancer patient`s stem cells and an artificial ``scaffold``.
The process involved scientists at University College London, who were given three-dimensional scans of the windpipe of Andemariam Teklesenbet Beyene, a geology student from Eritrea with an inoperable, cancerous tumour that was obstructing his breathing.
It was flown to Sweden where it was "seeded" with stem cells from Beyene`s bone marrow and placed in a bioreactor for two days to allow the cells to take root. Further cells were taken from his nose to line the windpipe.
Prof Paolo Macchiarini, a Spanish surgeon, carried out the 12-hour transplant operation. He praised the construction technique, which meant that "custom-made" windpipes could be produced within a week.
"This technique does not rely on a human donation," he was quoted as saying.
Beyene was said to be doing well.
