What has been the biggest medical advance?
Major innovations in the medical industry are essential, as the COVID-19 discovery has made abundantly clear. The greatest advances in medical technology occurred in the year 2022. This article focuses on the medical developments and medical research breakthroughs. Continue reading to know about the medical breakthroughs 2022 and amazing medical advancements.
21st century medical breakthroughs
Animal organ transplant
A 57-year-old man underwent Xenotransplantation in the early months of 2022 by a team from the University of Maryland Center. Mr. David Bennett Sr., who was in critical condition, received a modified pig heart transplant. The transplantation was successful, according to the experts, and the modified heart was pumping well. Bennett tragically passed away unexpectedly following the transplant after two months. Medical experts believe that porcine cytomegalovirus, a transplant-related infection that is treatable, may have been the cause of the death.
Contact lenses with eye drugs
The Johnson & Johnson company just received FDA approval for a new type of contact lens that emits antihistamine to treat itchy eyes brought on by allergies for up to 12 hours. This new lens type substitutes allergy eye drops and also aids in improving people’s vision.
Cure for Hemophilia
Because the body lacks enough blood clotting proteins due to the severe genetic condition hemophilia, injuries result in more blood loss. The most recent advancement in treating the condition is Hemgenix, a gene treatment that costs $3.5 million per patient.
Affordable drug for heart disease
Aspirin, atorvastatin, and the ACE inhibitor ramipril are included in the Polypill, which has been shown to be effective in preventing cardiac problems such as heart attacks and strokes. In patients, who already have a history of cardiovascular problems, polypill may also be able to prevent recurrent heart conditions.
Treating Pompe disease in the womb
Acid alfa glucosidase, an enzyme necessary for the body to break down the complex sugar termed glycogen, is deficient in people with Pompe disease. In the US, one in forty thousand people have the pompe disease, which is extremely rare. It is entirely hereditary in nature and can affect both men and women. A patient in the womb received Pompe in November 2022. Ayla, who is now a toddler, received enzyme replacement therapy while she was in the womb to protect her from the deadly pompe diseases that caused the deaths of her siblings. Although she still needs to receive treatment, her body is benefiting immensely from the enzyme replacement therapy.
Baricitinib for alopecia areata
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that results in significant hair loss. This occurs because the immune system targets and kills the hair follicles. There are four different kinds of alopecia areata: alopecia areata totalis, alopecia areata universalis, diffuse alopecia areata, and ophiasis alopecia areata. Baricitinib was the first JAK inhibitor to be licensed by the FDA for the treatment of severe alopecia. Baricitinib was reported in the trials to be regenerating hair growths.
Hope this blog on medical research breakthroughs and medical developments of 2022 was educational and informative.
