The journal Nature reported that German research discovered a potential solution – a “heart patch” made from stem cells that could provide a “bridge to transplantation, or maybe even a permanent fix.” MedicalBrief (24 April 2025)
“Made from adult human stem cells, these patches of heart muscle can be sutured on to a patient’s heart in a minimally invasive surgery to help it pump.
“Each patch contains lab-grown cardiac tissue made of up to 200m cells embedded in a collagen hydrogel.
“The innovation represents a step forward in the larger quest to solve the heart transplant crisis. About 50 000 people worldwide have end-stage heart failure, but only 5 000 heart transplants are performed annually because of the shortfall of donor hearts.”