Medical Breakthroughs of 2018: From Penis Transplant to FDA-Approved Cannabis, 14 Biggest Moments in Health This Year

When it comes to improving human health, the medical fraternity has always pushed the envelope of innovation. Last year, we saw some amazing moments in medicine, such as exploring head transplant and regenerating body parts. This year has been no less eventful. The year 2018 is on its way out. But it has given us not only some breakthrough moments, but also some outrageous ones. Let’s take a look at some of the most definitive moments in medical science from 2018.

1 ‘Surgery in a Pill’ To Reverse Diabetes

In June of 2018, researchers published results of a preclinical study in the journal Nature Materials, where they found a ‘pill’ that could temporarily coat the intestines to prevent their contact with food nutrients. This could help prevent post-meal spikes in blood sugar levels. The technique was named ‘Surgery in a Pill’ and used sucralfate – an FDA-approved drug for ulcers.

2 Cannabis-Derived Drug For Treating Epilepsy

This year also saw FDA approving Epidiolex, a cannabis-derived medicine used for treating drug-resistant epilepsy. Manufactured by GW Pharmaceuticals, Epidiolex is not the same as medical marijuana and is made from cannabidiol, an important chemical content in cannabis. But unlike THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol doesn’t cause the characteristic “high” associated with marijuana use.

3 Colour-Changing Contact Lens That Release Drugs

Scientists from China Pharmaceutical University and Southwest University in China created a colour-changing contact lens that could deliver drugs meant for glaucoma, etc. straight into the eyes. The findings of their research were published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. Drugs meant for the eyes such as drops and ointments are often washed off by the tears, compromising the impact of the treatment. The lenses could prevent drug wastage by ensuring the right amount is delivered into the eyes.

4 Baby Born From a Dead Woman’s Uterus

December 2018 saw yet another medical miracle when a baby was born from a dead donor’s uterus. In a first, a mother who received a uterus from a dead donor delivered a healthy baby. The breakthrough surgery was performed in 2016 in Sao Paulo Brazil, giving hope to millions of women who cannot give birth due to uterine problems. The study was published in The Lancet.

5 Two Face Transplants on The Same Person

Jerome Hamon became the first person in the world to receive two face transplants. Hamon who had neurofibromatosis type 1 suffered extensive disfiguration due to tumours caused by the disease. After undergoing a face transplant in 2010, Hamon body started rejecting the new face after he took antibiotics that interfered with his immunosuppressant medication. A second transplant had to be performed on Hamon, which earned him the nickname “The man with three faces.”

6 Discovery of A New Human Organ

Scientists discovered a human organ hitherto unknown. Although the presence of the organ was long speculated, it was only in 2018 that scientists published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports. The organ named interstitium is a series of fluid-filled connective tissues. The purpose of the organ is to absorb shock, protecting internal organs from rupturing due to pressure.

7 Male Birth Control

Women may seemingly find respite from bearing the burden of contraception. A study in March 2018 found out how DMAU (dimethandrolone undecanoate) can be effectively used as a male contraceptive pill. Researchers from the University of Washington Medical Center and Harbour-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California said that DMAU could be safely used every day for a month.

8 Genetically-Edited Babies

A Chinese researcher He Jiankui caused controversy over his claims of creating two genetically-edited babies. These twin baby girls were allegedly created using a genome-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9, making them resistant to infections and cancers. While gene editing has always been a medical possibility, it has never been carried out due to ethical concerns. Naturally, the scientific community was appalled at Jiankui’s audacity and condemned his action.

10 Spine Implant

The idea of mind-controlled prosthetic limbs was possible only in a sci-fi film. But in September, a 29-year-old man paralysed from the waist down walked for the first time using a remote-controlled electrode implanted in his back. The electrode helps stimulate the nerves in his spinal cord simply through the power of his thoughts.

11 A Healthy Number of French Fries

A Harvard professor ended up being called a “monster” on Twitter for recommending that people eat only six French fries at a single sitting. Dr Eric Rimm from Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health said that French fries are starch “bombs.” He quoted a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that said that potatoes have a high glycaemic index, which can increase obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk and that the safe number of fries to have at one go is six.

12 Cancer Vaccine

In January 2018, Stanford University researchers announced that they were going to start a trial on lymphoma patients after a vaccine they created helped in eliminating tumours in mice. The cancer vaccine will not only be effective, but it will also be safe and economical. It could potentially put an end to present-day cancer treatments that have extensive side effects.

13 Injection For Migraine

A ‘breakthrough’ injection for migraine became a possibility this year. A study published in the American Academy of Neurology brought a smile to the faces of migraine sufferers by presenting a possibility of an injection for migraine. A synthetic antibody Erenumab is injected into the body that signals the brain to stop the migraine even before it starts. The breakthrough injection could reduce the number of migraines by 50 percent.

14 World’s First Penis, Scrotum Transplant

A complete penis and scrotum transplant was conducted on a war veteran from the US, who suffered genital deformity at Afghanistan. The military serviceman had injured his genitals during an explosion. In a 14-hour-long operation, a team of doctors from the John Hopkins School of Medicine performed reconstructive surgery, rebuilding his penis, scrotum and part of his abdominal wall.

Medical science has been advancing with every passing day. While 2018 was teeming with possibilities, it’s worth wondering what 2019 will present.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 11, 2018 04:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).