Incredible ‘Skin Gun’ Heals Severe Burns in Days
- Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:12am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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The name is slightly misleading, but the results aren’t.
It’s being called the “skin gun,” and if it takes off it could revolutionize how burn victims are treated. The invention, which looks and acts more like an airbrush than a gun, uses a patient’s own stem cells (taken from healthy skin), combines them in a solution in the gun, and then sprays them on the burned area. In the small number of patients that have been treated, the results have been nothing short of miraculous: skin that might normally take weeks or months to heal rejuvenates in days. And to the naked eye, signs of the burn are barely visible.
Developed by Dr. Jörg C. Gerlach (above), National Geographic Channel will feature the gun on Monday’s episode of “Explorer” (10 pm ET). Below is the segment:
[WARNING: Contains graphic images of second-degree burns that will undoubtedly make some uneasy. It's important to note, however, that the burns shown are not those of the man featured -- they are used as representations of what his burns might have looked like.]
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Comments (93)
Ialmostforgot
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:56amI can make one of those machines. I got all kinds of spare parts like that.
Report Post »That old paint sprayer I got will work great!
stix_n_stones
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:55amThat’s Amazing!!!! as a burn victim my whole life (3rd degree) I hope this Treatment proves successful long term. Truly wonderful news!
Report Post »wtd
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:51amBeautiful and awe inspiring! One wonders if/when this or similar technology will/can be developed for surgical repairs, sealing soft tissue like muscles or organ structures (liver, spleen etc) as well as skin tissue with near perfect bonds – sans scar tissue complications.
Report Post »dizzyinthedark
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:51amNow that’s innovation for a good cause!
Report Post »RightUnite
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:34amThat is incredible!
Report Post »stinkybisquit
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:34amGood for those times when your satellite dish/ death ray backfires on you.
Report Post »columbus_tony
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:33amYeah…. Didn’t need to see that hand this morning.
Report Post »dcwu
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:30amCut the FDA. Cut, cut, cut.
Report Post »molleighsgm
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:27amWow that is absolutely amazing!!!! The actual person they showed that had the treatment looked amazing like he had never had an issue to begin with. I love that we have a man who came up with this wonderful discovery. I look forward to hearing more from this man and I have a feeling that this will be approved shortly. It can save lives and that is crucial when it comes to burn victims. I can’t wait to see the show on Monday.
Report Post »Bob1943
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:24amInteresting that these two headlines follow each other on “The Latest” at The Blaze:
Egyptian Protester Accidentally Sets Himself on Fire
Incredible ‘Skin Gun’ Heals Severe Burns in Days
Report Post »anigmanm
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:11amand to top it off it was done without a mandate from the government
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:10amFinally a gun that can save lives. I am no anti-gun activist. But at least this one will may not only help burn victims, but all people that have skin problems later on. Especially if it involves the face.
Report Post »docvet
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 3:05pmWill it be allowed in medical schools? It is, after all, a GUN.
Report Post »Confounding Father
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 11:05pmHey Lady: (and surely only a woman would make such a comment – jus sayn)
REAL guns save lives all the time. Just ask around or read the NRA montly magazine.
Perhaps you can start by asking the retired 76-year-old nurse that the Today Show on NBC interviewed this morning. She‘s living on the square where all the rioting is taking place and can’t get out of her apartment building. And the camera crew couldn’t get to her either. She’s going to be all right though, because as she said, she has “a knife, boiling water, and a rolling pin to defend herself with.”
Report Post »ruchamah
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:00amWOW! This is just TREMENDOUS! Give THAT man the Nobel and any other prize we can think of! This is *health care* we can believe in!
Report Post »gopsnativeson
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:59amAnother shining example of capitalism at work.
Report Post »These types of breakthroughs wont happen when Obmacare is fully implemented
docvet
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 3:04pmYes they will and will be made in a foreign country. Unfortunately, the weak dollar will make it very expensive for Americans and will not be approved for use due too high a cost. Remember, suffering and death is free.
Report Post »Andrew from Down Under
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:58amIn other words, it is the prototype for the Dermal Regenerator, which Drs. McCoy, Crusher, Bashir, Phlox, and the EMH have used many times with countless ease:
Report Post »http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Dermal_regenerator
Once again, a Star Trek technological item coms to real life! Trek rules!!!
docvet
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 2:59pmThat was my first thought, Star Trek is prophetic. But I did notice the inventor had a foreign accident (not Klingon). It seems pretty simple. Why couldn’t an American come up with the idea? In any case, I’m glad it was invented by somebody. Great idea that works.
Report Post »Jimster123
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:54am“Big Phama” will pay to have that gun put on a shelf because it will prevent them from making billions on the drugs they currently use for burn victims…(sad but true).
Report Post »GEW
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:49amThis is fabulous. Just wonderful. Think of what this will mean to so many people.
Report Post »mcpbob
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:39amjust wait till the FDA gets in on it,………..they screw everything up
Report Post »missy8s
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:18amThe FDA would require live babies instead of “adult stem cells” to be used…
Report Post »MrObvious
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:22amWe have so many laws and government departments enforcing rules based on those laws that there’s no telling which one might pounce on this thing and prevent it going into mass production.
I may not even be the invention itself. One corporate filing, financing or government paperwork issue and this wonderful inventor could loose everything.
He will need a quality teem of lawyers to ensure this thing goes to market.
“We The People” has changed to “Resistance Is Futile”.
Report Post »nostromo
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:35amIf this was the result of fetal stem cell research it would be on the front page of the NYT and headline the nightly news at CBS, NBC, and ABC.
Report Post »langushire
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:34amWOW! 4 days! God provides.
Report Post »Gates
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:32amI wonder what company owns the rights to this fantastic device??
Report Post »texan59
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:26amIf this is in fact true, it would be wonderful. Expensive but wonderful and no one would be able to obtain the service under Obamacare. I just hope the burn vicitm was not the kid who invented the death ray.
Report Post »GeauxAlready
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:25amGood hope they can make it work better……………..
Report Post »roxee
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 11:00amIt sounds like angiotension mixture to increase keratinocyte growth. Good work, good for those that suffer from burns!
Report Post »CanteenBoy
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 11:19pmScience marches on!!
Roxee – maybe, but this isn’t an AMA blog.
Report Post »mburns_08109
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:24amAh, now THAT is what I call Medicine!
Report Post »Notice – no large Pharmceutical companies were involved? no ongoing need for their PILLS?
…just thought it was worth mentinoing.
badswing
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:39amyeah the big bad pharm companies.saving our lives daily. ok charging a ton but saving our lives daily
Report Post »youguysready_letsroll
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:02amYeah but the phram. companies usually focus on patching you up instead of curing you to make you dependent on their drug.
Report Post »mallsniper
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:54amYes, big phrma is evil because we do not work for free.
Report Post »Pills are needed because the chance of infection is still very high during a burn heal.
Looks like I am off to work again at my EVIL big pharma job.
(When will we realize we are evil and stop making expensive pills?)
No more expensive pills, medical marijuana cures all!!!
Damn you free market, damn you!!!
jackrorabbit
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 11:09pmWithout “big pharma”, our life expectancy would be in the 60′s, not in the mid 70′s. Although it would cure our major debt issues of Medicare and SSDI. The cost is “high”, because for every one drug that makes it through the FDA process(that takes years), there are hundreds that don’t. So, if you want the drugs around in the future, then they need to make back the cost to create(which is 100,000′s of man hours, machinery, and raw materials). Unfortunately, some things cannot be “cured” they can only be managed.
Report Post »kkfedup
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:21amWow, Adult Stems are sucessful yet again. Why are we still wasting money on Embryonic research? Thank you Lord for the ethical treatments you are leading us to.
MAULEMALL
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:35amMaybe the moltov non thrower can get a discount??
Report Post »DGroundhog
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:48am…and of course these cells have the benefit of being a 100% genetic match, eliminating any chance at rejection.
What is it with liberals refusing to believe in science? Adult stem cells lead to cures. Embryonic stem cells do not. The debate is over.
Report Post »NickDeringer
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:01amNo babies were harmed or killed in the production of this miracle.
Thank you.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:22amJörg Gerlach, M.D., Ph.D., joined the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh in 2003 as Professor to the Department of Surgery.
Yet another success story for the best medical system in the world. Neither our healthcare system, nor our country, needs to be “fundamentally transformed”.
Report Post »joe3
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 8:55amwow, this is a good investment, your money is likely to grow. for less severe burns I have had success with a mixture of calendula flower petals ( get at natural food stores ) and honey, heals the burn right up. put it on like burn cream.
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 10:06amInteresting indeed, as it uses the patients own naturally occuring cells and the healing process is aided by the lack of chance for rejection of grafts…interesting indeed.
Report Post »Lantern
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 11:20amI am glad to see this problem being solved. Now when are they going to find a cure for diabetes? How long have they been collecting money and how long ahve they been researching diabetes, cancer, (insert disease here)? I can remember them collecting money for these since I was in grade school and that was 40 years ago. Where is this money going?
Report Post »Next, my prediction is that they will use this to help heal baldness.
Ellie
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 11:28amIt would be interesting to see how well this tech could be applied to deep wound care. Muscle stem cells for the parts that are muscle, skin for skin, etc.
Report Post »JBpatriot
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 3:48pmSorry Obamacare doesn’t cover this one.
Report Post »Old Truckers
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 3:56pmAbsolutely spectacular! Wonderful science, this will help so many burn victims. Good news for a change.
Report Post »Beckofile
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 4:26pmMaybe he could add little particals of the Constitution into the cells and spray it on the liberal brain? We might be able to enlighten some of the liberals.
Report Post »Melvin Spittle
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 6:28pmThese and all innovative creations will no longer exist under a socialist government health care as there will be no profit motive, or the funding, to create. At the very least they will be slowed to an imperceptible trickle.
Report Post »hud
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 7:51pmThis would have been a godsend in VN
Report Post »Benbit
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 9:52pmAdd your comments
Report Post »debased
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 10:44amhttp://www.chrisrose.stemtechbiz.com
Report Post »Natural health supplement makes the body make more of it’s own stem cells to replace dying cells and tissues quicker.
Melvin Spittle
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 11:42amThey need this technology deployed NOW for burns sustained by our deployed soldiers.
Report Post »jackrorabbit
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 11:03pm@Lantern
Report Post »There is a cure for diabetes. It is called a proper diet. Americans eat way too much processed food, fast food, and the worst sugary foods(soda anyone?). Yet it can be managed with many forms of insulin. As for cancer, we cure 97% of prostate, and over 80% of breast, if they are caught in time. If someone refuses to go to a doctor, then how can we force them to change their habits? Heart disease, yet again easy fix, and yet again it is diet. High cholesterol? Same fix. Americans have given ourselves so many diseases just because we are too lazy to do the actual cooking.
ndg1974
Posted on February 5, 2011 at 12:46pmjackrorabbit
Posted on February 4, 2011 at 11:03pm – “There is a cure for diabetes. It is called a proper diet. Americans eat way too much processed food, fast food, and the worst sugary foods(soda anyone?). Yet it can be managed with many forms of insulin.”
There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes (aka juvenile) is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. It has nothing to do with poor diet. Most who develop type 1 are otherwise healthy. The cause of type 1 diabetes is still not fully understood it is believed to be of immunological origin. Please make sure you are actually knowledgable about a disease before making blanket statements. There are many parents who have children with this horrible disease and they have done absolutely NOTHING to cause it in their children. Such accusations are hurtful to such parents/children and not helpful in stopping these innocent children from suffering.
Report Post »fabulousmcg
Posted on February 9, 2011 at 3:23pmWow this is great technology!! I’m amazed at how well it seems to work. Sounds like a positive step in the right direction, I’m so excited =) Now what I don’t understand is what it has to do with liberals, or other stem cell research. Can’t you just be happy its available and not make it your soap box, for F sake!
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