Cardiac surgeons have created an aortic valve from donor tissues
Russian cardiac surgeons from the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov have introduced the world’s first aortic valve created from donor pericardium (the sac surrounding the heart). The innovative development includes a special method for processing biological material and a solution for its storage, which prevents the calcification of valve components, a common problem in the implantation of biological prostheses.
The development of this biological valve was led by Roman Komarov, the director of the Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic, as part of the Innovative Scientific School. The estimated service life of the valve exceeds similar products on the market by 40%, offering the prospect of lifelong installation in patients.
This innovative technology provides the possibility of implanting an aortic valve made from homologous pericardium in patients with various cardiovascular diseases, such as congenital defects, stenosis, insufficiency, and even infectious endocarditis. Thanks to the new processing method, the prosthesis becomes potentially resistant to infections. Currently, prototype valves are undergoing testing, and in the near future, their implantation is planned in laboratory animals. Successful preclinical results will be the basis for initiating clinical trials, during which the new biological valve will be implanted in patients.
Photo: freepik