Autologous umbilical cord blood (Sheba Medical Center)

This investigational autologous cell therapy, developed by Sheba Medical Center, involves the collection and subsequent infusion of a patient's own umbilical cord blood (UCB) to treat brain and heart injuries in neonates. The therapy is specifically targeted at newborns with congenital heart defects, such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and transposition of great arteries (TGA), who are at high risk for peri-surgical brain injury and low cardiac output syndrome. The patient's UCB is collected at delivery and infused intravenously within the first week of life, typically following the initial palliative cardiac surgery. The mechanism of action is hypothesized to involve the reduction of oxidative stress (free radical injury), pro-inflammatory cytokine activity, and apoptotic signaling pathways, thereby providing neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects during the critical post-operative period.

Other names

Autologous UCB infusionAutologous umbilical cord blood cellsAutologous umbilical cord blood