‘My eye was saved by a placenta after the acid attack’

A donated placenta has been used to help save a man’s eye after an acidic attack.

The acid was thrown on Paul Laskey’s face, causing severe chemical burns in his eye, “melting” the internal and external layers of his cornea.

He had two emergency corneal transplants and three amnios grafts, where tissue of the internal coating of a donated placenta to save his eye was used.

Mr. Laskey, from Newcastle, said: “I am very grateful to the mother who donated her placenta to help people like me who run the risk of losing their eyes completely. ”

Professor Francisco Figueiredo, Ophthalmologist consultant of the Royal Victoria Enfirmary (RVI) of Newcastle, described the success of the operation as remarkable.

“It was incredible to think that this is possible due to the generosity of a mother,” he said.

WARNING: Contains an distressing image

Mr. Laskey, 43, was thrown with a corrosive substance when his son was assaulted in Knifepoint in Newcastle in February 2023.

“I was just burning. Instantly I could not see anything, ”he said. “It was horrible.”

They told him that he had suffered fourth grade burns, the most severe you can obtain.

He said that police officers arrived at the scene in a matter of minutes and explained that instead of calling an ambulance, they should immediately take it to the hospital.

In Newcastle’s RVI, emergency doctors worked to eliminate as much acid as possible.

But Mr. Laskey told him that the damage so serious that the cells inside his eye could not repair or regenerate.

The father of three children said losing his sight, so he was suddenly horrible.

He said he was confined to bed in a dark room for at least six months, because any light that entered painful period and the headaches were “horrible.”

The doctors explained that they were doing everything they could as “the most important period to save the eye.”

In the following months, Mr. Laskey had several procedures, including amnion, the name of the tissue taken from the internal coating of donated placenta grafts.

His bran eye, doctors now plan to try to restore more of their view through stem cell treatment.

The RVI professor, Figueiredo, said: “In the case of Paul, which is really quite severe, we begin eliminating any residue from the chemical agent that may still have been in contact with the eye, before progressing to intensive, topical treatment , systemic and surgical, use of amniotic membrane transplantation.

“It is incredible to think that this is possible due to the generosity of a mother, donating the organ that has grown up to help make her son grow. It really is remarkable. ”

In England, the NHS Wire Blood and Transplant Blood Bank collects mothers placentas in College School Hospital, London, and Luton and Donstable Hospital, Bedfordshire.

Using a donated placenta Helping with serious eye injuries is not new. Wealthy in protein growth factors can stimulate the healing process.

After their important role in the cultivation of a baby, the placentas are usually thrown. But a single placenta can make between 50 and 100 amnios grafts.

Mr. Laskey said that losing his eyes and the threat of losing his eye “devastating” and hoped he had the opportunity to meet the mother, who donated her placenta to say thanks in person.

The man responsible for the acid attack was imprisoned in 2024.