HAMILTON, ON – Experts at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) have achieved a world-first by using a groundbreaking biological treatment to help a young woman whose face was severely burned in a house fire in London, Ontario last December.
This innovative treatment involved exosomes-small particles that cells release to send signals to each other, promoting quick healing and reducing inflammation. These particles are usually obtained from lab-grown cells and injected into the affected areas to speed up recovery, offering better outcomes than traditional skin grafts that can leave scars and an uneven look.
Although exosomes have been researched for years regarding burns, this is the first time they’ve been tested on humans. Previous clinical trials with exosomes have shown positive results for other kinds of wound healing.
Kaitlin Jeffrey, an 18-year-old student from Toronto, received this cutting-edge treatment and experienced faster healing with improved results compared to another student who suffered serious burns in the same fire but did not qualify for exosome therapy since their injuries didn’t require skin grafting.
“My goal for Kaitlin was to avoid any skin graft surgery on her face and neck at all costs,” says Dr. Marc Jeschke, vice president of research and innovation at HHS, burn surgeon and researcher recognized globally for his expertise in burn treatment. Dr. Jeschke performed Jeffrey’s procedure and is also a professor of surgery at Mc Master University, HHS’s main academic partner.
As the medical director of the regional burn program at HHS’ Hamilton General Hospital-one of Ontario’s two regional burn centers where critically injured patients are treated-Dr. Jeschke leads efforts at HHS’ Centre for Burn Research located on the same campus. This center is focused on advancing medical practices related to burn care, including exosome therapy.
After receiving approval from Jeffrey and her family, Dr. Jeschke submitted an urgent request to Health Canada seeking permission to use exosome therapy under compassionate grounds. With no objections raised, he and his team became the first globally to apply this treatment on a burn patient. Jeffrey underwent two treatments several days apart that utilized one trillion exosomes sourced from the United States.
“You could perform the best graft imaginable, but it won’t restore the skin completely. For someone young like Kaitlin, getting a skin graft on her face and neck can be incredibly damaging,” he explains.
“It’s honestly a miracle,” says Jeffrey about her facial results. “Being injured in the fire has had a significant effect on my mental health as well; it’s something I’m still working through. But having such great results especially on my face is helping me move forward.”
Jeffrey and her family are extremely thankful for Dr. Jeschke and everyone at the burn center.
With continued research, Dr. Jeschke hopes this pioneering treatment will set a new benchmark for how we care for burn victims both in Canada and beyond.
“Like Dr. Jeschke, my family and I would love to see exosome therapy become standard practice for patients like me here in Canada so that when terrible incidents occur, they don’t alter lives permanently,” says Jeffrey.
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