MIRA procedure
Encyclopedia
MIRA is a multidisciplinary and complementary method for treating many chronic diseases. The MIRA Procedure is a result of combining efforts from different medical fields developed in the University of Chicago
in 1992. It basically consists in medically grafting
live rejuvenated tissue
in the form of autologous adipose adult stem cells to a damaged organ in order to restore it and improve its function. This method is currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA).
In 1989 Dr. Christoph Broelsch
performed the first successful living donor liver transplantation in the University of Chicago. Nearly two years old Alyssa Smith was the first to receive part of a living’s person liver donated in this case by her mother. The remarkable results improved current prognosis
on patients who required a liver transplant but even then there were far from meeting the demand and many hundreds to this date die waiting for a donor. This procedure has also sparked some controversial and legal issues for enticing organ trafficking and its practice is currently restricted in some countries.
In 1992, at the University of Chicago Dr. Fushih Pan
is amongst the first to attempt repairing damaged organ tissue by tissue grafting, but with little success due to technological limitations for keeping the grafted tissue live and functional. Dr. Fushih Pan later becomes much more involved in the steps that followed in order to develop the MIRA procedure.
In 1995, the University of Pennsylvania
caught the first glimpse of regenerative medicine
after successfully regenerating cranial bone. During the same year these results led to determination pressure of adequate tissue growth in cases with anophthalmia
.
In 1998 Dr. J. Peter Rubin from the University of Pittsburgh
developed a basic science research program in the biology of adipose derived stem cells and serves as co-director of the Adipose Stem Cell
Center at the University of Pittsburgh. More recently he has determined the safety on fat derived stem cells for breast reconstruction after masectomy as long as there is no evidence of cancer
.
In the year 2002 the UCLA under direction of Dr. Marc H. Hedrick M.D. started research on possible applications of Adult stem cells generating positive results.
Opting for research on Adult stem cells rather than Embryonic stem cells resulted amidst the stem cell controversy
that involve diverse ethical concerns and religious groups, most prominently the Catholic Church. Embryonic stem cell
s till this day are frowned upon many for the implication of the destruction of human embryos, yet the progress of adult stem cells has produced more promising results.
After the introduction of the subject of stem cells into the mainstream it was of utmost importance to keep the public aware of the difference of Embryonic Stem Cells and Adult stem cells. To help clarify the matter, in 2006 the Pope
of the Catholic Church openly stated the encouragement on research on Adult stem cells.
In 2008, after years of research the University of Pittsburgh and the UCLA come together sharing their progress in order to the develop a viable stem cell treatment.
Dr. Kotaro Yoshimura was one of the first to implement an alternative to breast augmentation
by safely grafting fat stem cells in 2006. In 2009 at the University of Tokyo
he was able to determine the adequate pressure for grafting ADSC more effectively, paving the road to diverse applications for the future. After this breakthrough the engraftment rate was improved even further thanks to the development of a nanoscale shielding using biomaterials approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA). With this, Dr. Fushih Pan was able to successfully develop a safe and reliable medical procedure now known as the MIRA Procedure.
The concept of the MIRA procedure can be considered more off as a minimally invasive tissue graft which function restoring capabilities work under the principles of Adult stem cells. The treatments potential use lies in improving patients with chronic diseases such as heart and liver failure
as well as those with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer and MSC
. In 2010, the MIRA procedure spawned highly efficient alternatives to some operations in the field of cosmetics. The MIRA Lift is now an alternative for a face lift that rejuvenates the face's skin cells in order to produce more collagen
for better and more natural results. Currently an alternative for breast augmentation
surgery is also being implemented. All this is done in a minimally invasive way that involves almost no downtime
to the patient.
Clinical applications
Cosmetic
applications
Cosmetic field:
may not be subject for a MIRA procedure.
A drawback for the breast augmentation surgery is that it only provides half the extra volume when compared to current implants.
as well as neuro-degenerative diseases with more efficacy.
The MIRA Procedure has proven to be a significant alternative to Embryonic Stem Cell treatments which still are under development. The procedure also has some advantages over Embryonic Stem Cell treatments due to its simplicity and therefore its financial cost.
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1992. It basically consists in medically grafting
Medical grafting
Grafting refers to a surgical procedure to move tissue from one site to another on the body, or from another person, without bringing its own blood supply with it. Instead, a new blood supply grows in after it is placed. A similar technique where tissue is transferred with the blood supply intact...
live rejuvenated tissue
Tissue (biology)
Tissue is a cellular organizational level intermediate between cells and a complete organism. A tissue is an ensemble of cells, not necessarily identical, but from the same origin, that together carry out a specific function. These are called tissues because of their identical functioning...
in the form of autologous adipose adult stem cells to a damaged organ in order to restore it and improve its function. This method is currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
(FDA).
History
The MIRA Procedure originated as a result of combining medical innovations and was developed as a multidisciplinary technique for applications in a wide range of medical fields. In other words this procedure was not developed for a specific application, it is a compilation from data and experience retrieved through years of research as well as practice that have been put together to create a new alternative to treat many diseases and other applications.In 1989 Dr. Christoph Broelsch
Christoph Broelsch
Christoph Broelsch is a German surgeon and former high school teacher. Broelsch pioneered the liver transplant surgery. In 1989 he was the first to successfully perform a live liver transplant.- Life and Work :...
performed the first successful living donor liver transplantation in the University of Chicago. Nearly two years old Alyssa Smith was the first to receive part of a living’s person liver donated in this case by her mother. The remarkable results improved current prognosis
Prognosis
Prognosis is a medical term to describe the likely outcome of an illness.When applied to large statistical populations, prognostic estimates can be very accurate: for example the statement "45% of patients with severe septic shock will die within 28 days" can be made with some confidence, because...
on patients who required a liver transplant but even then there were far from meeting the demand and many hundreds to this date die waiting for a donor. This procedure has also sparked some controversial and legal issues for enticing organ trafficking and its practice is currently restricted in some countries.
In 1992, at the University of Chicago Dr. Fushih Pan
Fushih Pan
Fushih Pan is a Taiwanese plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Fushih Pan is also certified by the National Board of General Surgery of Taiwan and the Board of Plastic Surgery Specialist of the U.A.E....
is amongst the first to attempt repairing damaged organ tissue by tissue grafting, but with little success due to technological limitations for keeping the grafted tissue live and functional. Dr. Fushih Pan later becomes much more involved in the steps that followed in order to develop the MIRA procedure.
In 1995, the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
caught the first glimpse of regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine is the "process of replacing or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore orestablish normal function". This field holds the promise of regenerating damaged tissues and organs in the body by replacing damaged tissue and/or by stimulating the body's own repair...
after successfully regenerating cranial bone. During the same year these results led to determination pressure of adequate tissue growth in cases with anophthalmia
Anophthalmia
Anophthalmia, also known as anophthalmos , is the congenital absence of one or both eyes.-Prevalence:...
.
In 1998 Dr. J. Peter Rubin from the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
developed a basic science research program in the biology of adipose derived stem cells and serves as co-director of the Adipose Stem Cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
Center at the University of Pittsburgh. More recently he has determined the safety on fat derived stem cells for breast reconstruction after masectomy as long as there is no evidence of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
In the year 2002 the UCLA under direction of Dr. Marc H. Hedrick M.D. started research on possible applications of Adult stem cells generating positive results.
Opting for research on Adult stem cells rather than Embryonic stem cells resulted amidst the stem cell controversy
Stem cell controversy
The stem cell controversy is the ethical debate primarily concerning the creation, treatment, and destruction of human embryos incident to research involving embryonic stem cells. Not all stem cell research involves the creation, use, or destruction of human embryos...
that involve diverse ethical concerns and religious groups, most prominently the Catholic Church. Embryonic stem cell
Embryonic stem cell
Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, an early-stage embryo. Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 4–5 days post fertilization, at which time they consist of 50–150 cells...
s till this day are frowned upon many for the implication of the destruction of human embryos, yet the progress of adult stem cells has produced more promising results.
After the introduction of the subject of stem cells into the mainstream it was of utmost importance to keep the public aware of the difference of Embryonic Stem Cells and Adult stem cells. To help clarify the matter, in 2006 the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
of the Catholic Church openly stated the encouragement on research on Adult stem cells.
In 2008, after years of research the University of Pittsburgh and the UCLA come together sharing their progress in order to the develop a viable stem cell treatment.
Dr. Kotaro Yoshimura was one of the first to implement an alternative to breast augmentation
Breast augmentation
Breast augmentation denotes the breast implant and fat-graft mammoplasty procedures for correcting the defects, and for enhancing the size, form, and feel of a woman’s breasts...
by safely grafting fat stem cells in 2006. In 2009 at the University of Tokyo
University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
he was able to determine the adequate pressure for grafting ADSC more effectively, paving the road to diverse applications for the future. After this breakthrough the engraftment rate was improved even further thanks to the development of a nanoscale shielding using biomaterials approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
(FDA). With this, Dr. Fushih Pan was able to successfully develop a safe and reliable medical procedure now known as the MIRA Procedure.
The concept of the MIRA procedure can be considered more off as a minimally invasive tissue graft which function restoring capabilities work under the principles of Adult stem cells. The treatments potential use lies in improving patients with chronic diseases such as heart and liver failure
Liver failure
Acute liver failure is the appearance of severe complications rapidly after the first signs of liver disease , and indicates that the liver has sustained severe damage . The complications are hepatic encephalopathy and impaired protein synthesis...
as well as those with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer and MSC
MSC
- Computers:* Mario Strikers Charged* Microsoft Common Console Document, file for the Microsoft Management Console* Microelectronics Support Centre* Microsoft Corporation* MIDI Show Control* Message Sequence Chart...
. In 2010, the MIRA procedure spawned highly efficient alternatives to some operations in the field of cosmetics. The MIRA Lift is now an alternative for a face lift that rejuvenates the face's skin cells in order to produce more collagen
Collagen
Collagen is a group of naturally occurring proteins found in animals, especially in the flesh and connective tissues of mammals. It is the main component of connective tissue, and is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up about 25% to 35% of the whole-body protein content...
for better and more natural results. Currently an alternative for breast augmentation
Breast augmentation
Breast augmentation denotes the breast implant and fat-graft mammoplasty procedures for correcting the defects, and for enhancing the size, form, and feel of a woman’s breasts...
surgery is also being implemented. All this is done in a minimally invasive way that involves almost no downtime
Downtime
The term downtime is used to refer to periods when a system is unavailable.Downtime or outage duration refers to a period of time that a system fails to provide or perform its primary function...
to the patient.
Clinical procedure (simplified)
The MIRA procedure consists of the following steps:- Harvest the resting progenitor cells- Bone marrowBone marrowBone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the interior of bones. In humans, bone marrow in large bones produces new blood cells. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans; in adults weighing 65 kg , bone marrow accounts for approximately 2.6 kg...
and/or adipose tissueAdipose tissueIn histology, adipose tissue or body fat or fat depot or just fat is loose connective tissue composed of adipocytes. It is technically composed of roughly only 80% fat; fat in its solitary state exists in the liver and muscles. Adipose tissue is derived from lipoblasts...
are collected through liposuctionLiposuctionLiposuction, also known as lipoplasty , liposculpture suction lipectomy or simply lipo is a cosmetic surgery operation that removes fat from many different sites on the human body...
by a reconstructive surgeon which are then harvested by a MIRA specialist. - Activate them intro-operatively- The cellCell (biology)The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
s capable of restoration are usually in a resting state. Through a proprietary method, these cells are awakened and activated into their growth stage. This allows the cells to replicate themselves and eventually increase the number of the arm force. - Package the activated cells with a protective shield- Activated progenitor cells are very fragile after being harvested and manipulated, making their engraftment rate less than 10%. Therefore, experts on the field developed a porous nanoscale shielding using biomaterials that are FDA approved that drastically increases engraftment rate and improve the results of organOrgan (anatomy)In biology, an organ is a collection of tissues joined in structural unit to serve a common function. Usually there is a main tissue and sporadic tissues . The main tissue is the one that is unique for the specific organ. For example, main tissue in the heart is the myocardium, while sporadic are...
function. - Delivery to the damaged tissue- Lastly, all of the packages are delivered to the nearest location to the injured site of the organ using a high-resolution angiogramAngiogramAngiography or arteriography is a medical imaging technique used to visualize the inside, or lumen, of blood vessels and organs of the body, with particular interest in the arteries, veins and the heart chambers...
operated by a high-skilled reconstructive surgeon for approaching, identifying, and isolating the feeder arterioles. This step is further assisted by a interventional radiologist for a more precise application.- The MIRA Lift, alternative to a facelift, is combined with photorejuvenationPhotorejuvenationPhotorejuvenation is a skin treatment that uses intense pulsed light or other thermal or chemical methods to treat some skin conditions and remove wrinkles arising from photoaging. The process induces controlled wounds on the skin, prompting it to heal itself by creating new cells...
for optimal results. The treatment of choice typically being Thermage.
- The MIRA Lift, alternative to a facelift, is combined with photorejuvenation
Applications
The MIRA Procedure has numerous applications for different fields and many more are still in development:Clinical applications
- Ischemic Incidence
- Heart diseaseHeart diseaseHeart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
, Kidney disease, Brain damageBrain damage"Brain damage" or "brain injury" is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. Brain injuries occur due to a wide range of internal and external factors...
, MuscleMuscleMuscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
damage - FibrosisFibrosisFibrosis is the formation of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue in a reparative or reactive process. This is as opposed to formation of fibrous tissue as a normal constituent of an organ or tissue...
- Liver Cirrhosis, Pulmonary FibrosisPulmonary fibrosisPulmonary fibrosis is the formation or development of excess fibrous connective tissue in the lungs. It is also described as "scarring of the lung".-Symptoms:Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis are mainly:...
- Growth impairment
- Epiphyseal plateEpiphyseal plateThe epiphyseal plate is a hyaline cartilage plate in the metaphysis at each end of a long bone...
- DegenerationDegenerationThe idea of degeneration had significant influence on science, art and politics from the 1850s to the 1950s. The social theory developed consequently from Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution...
- Neurological
-
-
- Parkinson's, Multiple SclerosisMultiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
, Alzheimer , RetinaRetinaThe vertebrate retina is a light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. The optics of the eye create an image of the visual world on the retina, which serves much the same function as the film in a camera. Light striking the retina initiates a cascade of chemical and electrical...
damage- Integument
- OsteoarthritisOsteoarthritisOsteoarthritis also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is a group of mechanical abnormalities involving degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and subchondral bone. Symptoms may include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, locking, and sometimes an effusion...
, certain types of skin diseases- CancerCancerCancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
- Cancer
- Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis
-
- Prostate CancerProstate cancerProstate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
- Pancreatic ductal carcinomaPancreatic ductal carcinomaPancreatic ductal carcinoma is a form of pancreatic cancer of the pancreatic duct.An association with p16INK4a has been identified.It is one of the leading causes of cancer death.-References:...
Cosmetic
Beauty
Beauty is a characteristic of a person, animal, place, object, or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure, meaning, or satisfaction. Beauty is studied as part of aesthetics, sociology, social psychology, and culture...
applications
- Facial rejuvenationFacial rejuvenationFacial rejuvenation is any cosmetic or medical procedure used to increase or restore the appearance of a younger age to human face. The specific term, however, refers to a set of surgical procedures which try to restore facial geometry and skin appearance which are typical of youth, by using a...
- Breast AugmentationBreast augmentationBreast augmentation denotes the breast implant and fat-graft mammoplasty procedures for correcting the defects, and for enhancing the size, form, and feel of a woman’s breasts...
- AlopeciaAlopeciaAlopecia means loss of hair from the head or body. Alopecia can mean baldness, a term generally reserved for pattern alopecia or androgenic alopecia. Compulsive pulling of hair can also produce hair loss. Hairstyling routines such as tight ponytails or braids may induce Traction alopecia. Both...
or hair loss
Advantages
Medical field:- Unlike organ transplants, patients who opt for the MIRA Procedure do not rely on availability of a compatible donorDonorA donor in general is a person who donates something voluntarily. Usually used to represent a form of pure altruism but sometimes used when the payment for a service is recognised by all parties as representing less than the value of the donation and that the motivation is altruistic...
for operation. - The procedure, as it names indicate, is minimally invasive therefore is the safest and most reliable alternative up to date.
- There is minimal downtimeDowntimeThe term downtime is used to refer to periods when a system is unavailable.Downtime or outage duration refers to a period of time that a system fails to provide or perform its primary function...
after the procedure and the cost is much more affordable to the patients. - If necessary, the patient can decide to repeat the procedure for further improvement on his or her condition.
- No risk of scarring.
Cosmetic field:
- More natural appearance after the procedure compared to surgical alternatives.
- Removes uneven pigmentation and reduces the appearance of scars.
- No risk of scarring.
Limitations or complications
Patients who are not physically adequate to undergo a liposuctionLiposuction
Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty , liposculpture suction lipectomy or simply lipo is a cosmetic surgery operation that removes fat from many different sites on the human body...
may not be subject for a MIRA procedure.
A drawback for the breast augmentation surgery is that it only provides half the extra volume when compared to current implants.
Future
Currently the MIRA Procedure is most well known as an alternative to cosmetic surgery but has proved to be successful in restoring health to patients with chronic heart disease and cirrhotic liver. Soon enough further research will be employed to develop an adequate treatment for certain types of cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
as well as neuro-degenerative diseases with more efficacy.
The MIRA Procedure has proven to be a significant alternative to Embryonic Stem Cell treatments which still are under development. The procedure also has some advantages over Embryonic Stem Cell treatments due to its simplicity and therefore its financial cost.