Researchers Work Toward Regenerating Lost Extremities

By Elaine Wilson
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 28, 2008 - A powder that regrows fingers and toes sounds like the stuff of fairy tales, but medical experts here are hoping they can use it to make magic happen for wounded warriors. Doctors from the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research are trying a regenerative medicine powder that's already approved by the Food and Drug Administration in hopes of stimulating tissue growth in soldiers with missing extremities.

"The powder is FDA approved and is already being used for hernia repairs and other applications," said Dr. Steven Wolf, chief and task area manager of clinical trials at ISR. "But it has never been used for this reason in people."

ISR researchers are working with Steve Badylak at the Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative, whom they found while seeking medical innovations that could benefit wounded warriors. They were particularly interested in medical advances that could aid in combating the loss of extremities, which is a "common problem" on today's battlefield, Wolf said.

"This is a topic the Army and Department of Defense are interested in, because when injuries happen in war, most of them are extremity injuries," the doctor said. "With burns in particular, we commonly end up with loss of digits."

Based on studies, ISR doctors were intrigued by what they nicknamed "pixie dust," and the idea of a new application for an existing innovation.

"Since the powder was FDA approved and safe for use, we figured we would try it," Wolf said. "The idea was out there that it might work for this application, but it had never been tried on humans."

The "pixie dust" is far from magic. It is derived from pig bladder. To create what Wolf refers to as extracellular matrix, scientists take a mix of protein and connective tissue, "spin" it to remove the cells, and then mash the remaining material into a powder.

"When put onto open wound, it seems the body starts to regrow normal tissue," Wolf said.

The theory is that when the powder is applied, circulating stem cells see the matrix, stop and differentiate into whatever they are near, Wolf said. For instance, if by a bone, then the cells become bone; if by a blood vessel, then they become a blood vessel; or if by a nerve, they become a nerve.

In other words, the regenerative medicine powder acts as a stop sign for stem cells, which are undifferentiated cells everyone has circulating throughout their blood stream.

Wolf likens the concept to regrowth of a severed tail in a salamander.

"You pull a tail off a salamander, and it regrows," Wolf said. "The end of the tail forms what is called a blastema, and that blastema elongates. We think that's what happens when we put this powder on.

"This process of growing your fingers has happened to you before, in your mother's womb," Wolf said. "The code is there, the DNA is there. What we're trying to do is trick your body into doing that again."

Application of the powder involves surgery to open the wound and apply it, a procedure that can be done in conjunction with an already scheduled surgery. Other than the normal risks of surgery, Wolf said, trials of the powder are practically harmless.

"If it doesn't work, there is no downside," Wolf said. "That's why we're testing it on fingers vs. legs. If we apply it to a leg amputee, the downside is the soldier won't be able to walk for several months, and it may not work."

So far, doctors have applied the powder to two soldiers with missing fingers.

"The first time, we saw an increase in length of the finger, but the wound closed before further growth could occur," Wolf said. "The other case is too soon to tell."

Wolf emphasized the concept is referred to as an innovative surgical technique. "It's not a sure thing," he said. "It's a possibility."

However, "We're hoping for increased length with bone support," Wolf said. "But we're not sure how long it will take or if it will even work."

The odds may be high, but Wolf is hoping to take a complex scientific innovation and yield magical results for improvised explosive device victims and other wounded warriors.

"If we have a soldier who was blown up by an IED and missing fingers, and we have a chance to give him his fingers back, increase his function, how can we not try?" he said.

(Elaine Wilson works in the Fort Sam Houston Public Affairs Office.)

America Supports You: Elmo and Friends Entertain, Educate Families

By Cheryl Harrison
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 26, 2008 - Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind the program "Sesame Street," and the United Service Organizations joined forces to bring "The Sesame Street Experience for Military Families" to 43 installations across the country. "The tour travels for four months, and is for Military families only," Kelly Mariska, tour manager, said during the show's visit here. "The 'Talk, Listen, Connect' theme helps kids learn to cope with a deployed parent and how to adapt to a family member being away. Also, it deals with their emotions when that person returns home."

The free tour held performances here Aug. 10 and 11. The 60-minute experience consisted of a 25-minute mini-show and opportunities for Military families to connect with outreach organizations.

Show preparations started with a set-up that involved an extreme makeover. What once looked like an auditorium began to look like something right off Broadway. Spotlights went up, enormous speakers were stacked and tested, and a backdrop was hoisted.

Even the cast and crew's bus driver went to work hooking up spotlights. Lewis the driver, as he is known, said, "I am the least-hardest-working person here. I only drive the bus, but help out when I can."

When the scene was finally set, the magic began. Tables were loaded with free information, stickers, magnets and postcards, not to mention twirling toys topped by "Sesame Street" favorite Elmo.

As the excitement of the day's event began to build, the cast began warm-ups to the unforgettable tune of the "Sesame Street" theme.

Antwaun Steele, a St. Louis native, took a few minutes to rest from his warm-up routine.

"I have been with the touring company since 1996. Performing has always been a part of my life, but it is the look on the children's faces that energizes me," he said.

Steele, a dancer and performer, leads a double life. The cast and crew know him as Antwaun; the children he entertains know him as Cookie Monster.

Sesame Street fans began lining up outside the building at about noon Aug. 10 for the 3 p.m. show. Once the doors opened, the auditorium filled quickly, and the full house was not disappointed.

The next day's performance didn't disappoint the audience, either. More than 600 people -- child development center children, warriors in transition, child care providers, and children with parents, friends and family -- enthusiastically awaited the appearance of their favorite TV characters.

Grover, Zoe, Rosita, Cookie Monster and, of course, Elmo, entertained the wide-eyed children with songs and dances depicting ways to handle their feelings.

"I enjoyed the singing and dancing," Sandra Salinas said. Salinas' 3-year-old nephew, Noah Salinas, exclaimed, "I saw Elmo!"

A few teens spotted among the crowd didn't want to appear too enthusiastic about seeing the furry celebrities. "My mom made me come," said 13-year-old Marcus Pratter. "I kind of wanted to come, and I kind of didn't." Pratter's buddy, 13-year-old Brodrick Hill, wasn't as shy about his feelings. "I loved Elmo when I was a little kid," he said.

Whatever their expectations, the capacity crowds left the auditorium with smiles on their faces.

USO is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.

(Cheryl Harrison works in the Army Community Services marketing department at Fort Sam Houston.)

America Supports You: Organizations Join Forces for Military Families

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

May 2, 2008 - Gift cards can make a stay away from home while a loved one recovers easier for servicemembers and their families. The Fisher House Foundation, which provides living quarters at or near major military medical facilities for families visiting hospitalized servicemembers, frequently provides its residents with such cards, using donated money to purchase them.

"We have purchased American Express, (Army and Air force Exchange Service), CertifiChecks, Target, Wal-Mart, Giant and Safeway [cards]," said Jim Weiskopf, executive vice president of communications for Fisher House Foundation. "As you know, some of these gift cards have fees associated with them."

This fact meant that a portion of the donations used to purchase gift cards was used to cover fees that can run about $4.95 for a $100 card.

"We wanted either a Visa or a MasterCard debit card for universal use and found no way to avoid the service fees," Weiskopf said.

In fact, the foundation capitalized on an American Express special platinum card, which waived processing fees. The foundation purchased a large quantity of the cards, saving a substantial amount of money. But specials like that don't happen frequently enough to truly benefit organizations like the Fisher House, Weiskopf said.

Now, Bank of America's Military Segment is helping fix that problem for the Fisher House Foundation.

As part of its continued support of the foundation, the bank has agreed to cover the cost of processing fees, setup charges and shipping fees on cards purchased by the Fisher House Foundation.

"The key point is that for donors, a dollar donated is worth a dollar given to a servicemember or his or her family," Weiskopf said. "There are no administrative fees."

Through the partnership, the Fisher House Foundation initially provided the four Fisher Houses at Brooke Army Medical Center on Fort Sam Houston, Texas, with 400 gift cards, each worth $50. Since that distribution, the Fisher House Foundation has bought an additional $220,000 worth of Bank of America gift cards and is in the process of distributing them.

"We continually look for ways to assist our military servicemembers and their families, and this is just one example of our continued commitment," said Pat Rainey, Bank of America's senior Military Segment executive.

The Fisher House Foundation is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad. Bank of America is a corporate supporter of the Defense Department program.