Jesse Freeman, 71, suffered a major heart attack at home Had surgery to repair a blocked artery and to insert a stent to keep it open He was then asked to take part in a new study into the use of stem cells These are 'master cells' which can turn into almost any other type of cell in the body, replacing damaged cells He had bone marrow removed from his hip and infused into his heart It is hoped this will regenerate to help heal his damaged heart
By Emma Innes
PUBLISHED: 08:36 EST, 3 March 2014 | UPDATED: 08:52 EST, 3 March 2014
A British man has become the second patient in a Europe to have pioneering stem cell treatment in a bid to prolong his life.
Jesse Freeman, 71, was invited to take part in the landmark trial after suffering a major heart attack at home.
Surgeons repaired a blocked artery and inserted a stent to keep it open after he was rushed to hospital.
Jesse Freeman (pictured with his wife, Christine) has become the second person in Europe to have pioneering stem cell treatment after a heart attack. It is hoped the procedure will cause his damaged heart muscle to regenerate and that it could eventually become common practice in the treatment of heart attack patients
But while recovering in hospital, he was asked to take part in the major new study to see if heart attack patients can benefit from being treated with their own stem cells.
These are 'master cells' which can turn into almost any other type of cell in the body, replacing damaged cells.
Doctors at the London Chest Hospital, in Bethnal Green, removed bone marrow from Mr Freeman, a grandfather, without general anaesthetic and the cells were then infused into his heart.