As the wind pipe was utilizing Ciaran's own stem cells, his immune system did not reject the organ, allowing a successful completion to the surgery. Ciaran is said to have grown 11 inches in height and has returned to school.
"We need more research on stem cells grown deliberately inside the body, rather than grown first in a laboratory over a long time. This research should help to convert one-off successes such as this into more widely available clinical treatments for thousands of children with severe tracheal problems worldwide", Professor Martin Birchall, who was part of the transplantation team, said.
Source: Medindia