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Full-root Aortic Valve Replacement by Stentless Aortic Xenografts in Patients with Small Aortic Roots
Published on: May 21, 2017
11.5K
Surgical techniques for aortic valve xenotransplantation
Jennie H Kwon1, Morgan Hill2, Brielle Gerry2
1Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA. kwonhye@musc.edu.
Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery
|December 28, 2021
Summary
Aortic valve xenotransplantation offers a promising solution for pediatric heart valve replacement, addressing the limitations of current prostheses. This innovative approach could provide growing, durable valves without requiring anticoagulation therapy.
Area of Science:
- Cardiac Surgery
- Transplantation Biology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Pediatric heart valve replacement faces challenges with prostheses that do not grow with children.
- Existing mechanical and bioprosthetic valves have limitations, including thrombogenicity and degeneration, and require anticoagulation.
- There is a critical need for growing, durable heart valves that eliminate the need for anticoagulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop surgical techniques for aortic valve xenotransplantation in a human cadaver model.
- To assess the feasibility of aortic valve xenotransplantation as a solution for pediatric heart valve replacement.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a human cadaver model to refine surgical procedures for aortic valve xenotransplantation.
- Focused on subcoronary implantation techniques to avoid aortic root replacement.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the technical feasibility of aortic valve xenotransplantation.
- Subcoronary implantation was found to be a viable surgical approach, simplifying the procedure by omitting root replacement.
Conclusions:
- Aortic valve xenotransplantation is a promising strategy for addressing unmet needs in pediatric cardiac surgery.
- Advancements in genetically modified pigs (GTKO.hCD46.hTBM) are bringing xenotransplantation closer to clinical application.
