A first Canadian gives hope

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In Vancouver, a surgical team has managed to restore sight to blind patients thanks to an unprecedented operation using … a tooth. A first in Canada which opens up new perspectives for people with severe corneal blindness.

After two decades spent in the dark, Brent Chapman, 34, was able to exchange a look with his surgeon, Dr. Greg Moloney, from Mount Saint Joseph Hospital. A moment of intense emotion. “” It was the very first look I was exchanging with another human being in 20 years He says, in tears.

Affected by Stevens-Johnson syndrome since adolescence, Brent had undergone more than 50 operations without success before this new technique: the osteo-twitotoprosthenesis (Ookp), nicknamed ” tooth in the eye ».

A last resort operation

This spectacular procedure is to shape a patient’s tooth to insert a lens. The implant is first housed in the cheek for several months, so that the body develops a blood intake around the fabric recognized as its own. Then it is transplanted and fixed at the front of the eye.

According to Dr. Moloney, ” dentin is a perfect biological fabric that prevents the body from rejecting the implant ». International results are promising: after 30 years, 90 % of prostheses are still in place and around 60 % of patients retain a useful vision.

Transformed lives

Brent is not the only one to benefit from this advance. In Victoria, Gail Lane, 75, blind for ten years, was able to see for the first time the face of his spouse, Phil. “” I am starting to distinguish the features of people, it’s exciting. I can even choose my clothes without help! She rejoices. These simple gestures give it a long lost autonomy.

A personal quest for the surgeon

Dr. Moloney says he met Brent 15 years ago when he was still a resident. The absence of a solution had marked him. “It was his case that pushed me to train in Australia and bring this technique back to Canada,” he said.

For him, it will take a decade to speak of real success, but the prospects are real. “” If the only reason not to offer this operation is that it is difficult, then it is not a sufficient reason He insists.

A new world to discover

Today, Brent is rediscovering faces, landscapes, and even films. Between emotion, science and perseverance, this Canadian first gives hope to thousands of patients around the world.

Read also 👉A global surgical feat: a tumor of the spine removed by the orbit of a young woman

Source : radio-canada