significantly reduced one of the lymphatic growths

The latest Viagra discovery concerns new information that shows that it could be used to reduce large growths which are known to disfigure children’s bodies.  These growths which are called severe lymphatic malformations occur when the body’s lymphatic system which forms part of the immune system becomes blocked up and as a result huge lumps which can be as big as a football appear.

Obviously these huge growths as well as being traumatic for the patient are very dangerous as they can block airways and put pressure on vital organs.  Sometimes it is possible to remove these growths with surgery but in other cases the surgery is deemed to be too dangerous.

Recently researchers using the active ingredient of Viagra namely sildenafil were treating a baby girl with pulmonary arterial hypertension and they noticed that as well as the intended effect of reducing the blood pressure the Sildenafil also significantly reduced one of the lymphatic growths that the girl was suffering from.

Since then, the Viagra drug has been used on other children suffering from these growths and significant benefits have been seen with the growths shrinking and becoming softer over time.

Professor Alfred Lane from the Stanford University School of Medicine said that with the use of this Viagra drug it may be possible to shrink the growth to a manageable proportion which could mean the surgery would be safe.

The research is still at an early stage and more studies are planned with Pfizer donating the Sildenafil for them.  It is not quite clear why the Viagra works in reducing the size of the growths but it has been speculated that it may be facilitating the lymph system to drain fluid more easily.

The research which was published by the New England Journal of Medicine could give hope to thousands of children around the world who suffer from this terrible disfigurement.