In a revolutionary medical discovery, a doctoral student from Lucknow's KGMU has found a way to stimulate bone formation process for quick recovery of complex bone fractures. This research by Dr Shilpa Trivedi, a PhD student of the oral maxillofacial department at KGMU, clearly states that stem cells of tooth pulp can fasten the bone formation process in bone grafts.

This procedure, if tested and developed, will be a boon for patients nursing complex bone fractures that require grafting. Read on to know more about this historic win for the medicine world:

A novel research for quick recovery of complex fractures

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Dr. Shilpa Trivedi conducted research on the ability of the stem cells obtained from the tooth pulp and its conclusion brings hope to patients suffering from severe fractures. The study has found a way to quickly stimulate bone development in bone grafts. While these are effectively used for the replacement of bone portions in case of complex bone tear or breakage, the procedure follows a tediously slow recovery.

However, the study shows that stem cells from tooth pulp can catalyse the whole process. In her research, Dr. Trivedi extracted stem cells of dental pulp and performed culture to let them grow for six weeks. After this, she transfused them into the bone graft to monitor their effect for about 3 weeks. The process was later repeated with different proportions of stem cells.

The different experiment samples revealed that with a specific proportion of stem cells, bone regeneration was two and a half times higher than the scenario when stem cells were not transfused into the graft. "It gives hope that patients in whom bone grafting is needed, can have faster recovery," said Dr Trivedi.

Need to conduct animal/human trials before using as treatment

Notably, the study was published in the Journal of Odontology of Nippon Dental University, Japan, in 2021 and Dr Shilpa Trivedi has also been conferred with Best PhD Thesis Award in KGMU's annual research showcase.

She emphasised that since it was a lab-controlled study, further investigations of animals have to be carried out. "Only after passing animal trials, human trials will begin and if found successful, it might be a boon for complex fracture patients," said Prof Divya Malhotra, her mentor and faculty at the oral maxillofacial department.