Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is a significant contributor to vision loss and blindness in the senior community. Specifically, the variant known as wet AMD, which involves the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the macula – the central part of the retina crucial for sharp, central vision. This growth results in leakage of blood and fluid, leading to damage and dysfunction of the macula. Despite representing only a small proportion of total AMD cases, wet AMD is responsible for 90% of blindness associated with AMD.
Though early stages of wet AMD can be managed with medications that limit the development of new blood vessels, this approach proves less effective for advanced cases. As an alternative, a recent study led by Yong Liu and his team at Third Military Medical University Southwest Hospital in China, suggests a procedure that involves surgically removing the abnormal blood vessels and transplanting stem cell-derived retinal cells. This study was published in the journal Stem Cell Reports.
The team conducted a clinical study involving ten patients suffering from wet AMD. They developed a procedure to safely remove the newly formed blood vessels and transplanted stem cell-derived retinal cells to replace the damaged or lost ones in the patient’s retina. The patients who had all blood vessel patches completely removed during surgery exhibited improved retinal structure, suggesting that the transplanted cells not only survived but also repaired the damaged retina. Furthermore, these patients’ visual acuity remained stable or even improved over a year with minimal side effects.
However, for patients where only a portion of the blood vessel patches could be removed, the surgery was less successful. These patients experienced persistent bleeding, inflammation in the eye, incomplete retina regeneration, and no improvement in vision. The researchers inferred that the complete and safe removal of blood vessel patches is crucial to prevent inflammation and create an environment conducive to the survival and integration of the transplant.
Additional research involving larger patient groups is necessary to validate the clinical efficiency and safety of this treatment.
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