Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 24, 2025
Author Spotlight: Advancing Cardiac Procedure Testing Prior to Embarking on Large Animal Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
Establishing a pre-clinical growing animal model to test a tissue engineered valved pulmonary conduit
Walter Knirsch1,2, Bernard Krüger3,4, Thea Fleischmann5
1Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Heart Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Background:
Many valvular pathologies of the heart may be only sufficiently treated by replacement of the valve if a reconstruction is not feasible. However, structural deterioration, thrombosis with thromboembolic events and infective endocarditis are commonly encountered complications over time and often demand a re-operation. In congenital heart disease the lack of small diameter valves with the potential to grow poses additional challenges and limits treatment options to homo- or xenograft implants.
Methods:
In this study, a chronic sheep model (24 months follow-up), a self-constructed valved conduit was created out of a tissue engineered (TE) patch (CorMatrix® Cardiovascular, Inc, USA) and implanted in orthotopic right ventricular (RV)-pulmonary artery (PA) position. Thereafter, the sheep were regularly monitored by clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic examinations to evaluate cardiac function and the implanted RV-PA-conduit.
Discussion:
Here, we summarize the study protocol and our experiences during the perioperative phase and the follow up period and explain how we constructed a valved conduit out of a commercially available TE patch.
Trial Registration:
License number: ZH 284/14.
