MHH Large-scale study on growing heart valves

Lifelong durable and growing heart valve developed

03/01/2012

Every year, tens of thousands of heart valve surgeries are performed in Germany in which the natural heart valve is replaced by a mechanical or biological heart valve. Scientists at the Hanover Medical School have developed an innovative biological heart valve that is said not to be rejected, lasts a lifetime and even grows over the years.

The artificial heart valves come from human tissue donations, which are processed in a complex process so that they are suitable for medical use. In a large-scale study led by the team of cardiac surgeon Prof. Axel Haverich of the MHH and the participation of seven other heart centers, the use of the innovative biological heart valve will be examined more closely in the next four years.

Innovative biological heart valves offer numerous advantages
With € 5.2 million, the European Union is funding a four-year study to treat a total of 200 patients with the novel heart valve. The heart valves developed at the MHH are especially intended for use in children. Because the bioimplants should be able to grow in the human organism due to their special nature, so that no later surgery is necessary later in life. The bioimplants come from human tissue donations, which are freed from all cells using the method developed by Prof. Haverich, so that only the framework of the donor flaps remains. These so-called decellularized homografts are implanted in needy patients with heart defects, whereby the scaffold can then be populated by the body's own cells. As a result, the risk of rejection is apparently very low and the bioimplants can even grow in the organism of those affected. In addition, the novel implants should last significantly longer than previous biological heart valves, which fulfill their function for a maximum of ten years, before a new implantation is required, the scientists of the MHH explained.

Novel heart valve already implanted in 47 children
The expectations of the MHH researchers for their innovative heart valve now have to be checked in the ESPOIR study. In addition to the MHH, seven large European children's heart centers will test the use of biological heart valves on a total of 200 patients. At the MHH, 47 children and adolescents have already been treated with the innovative heart valves, whereby „so far no flap repelled“ has been „and no patient will be reoperated yet“ had to, explained Prof. Haverich. There is a lot of talk for it, „that these heart valves last much longer than previous valves that have not been decellularized - and that they even grow,“ emphasized the study director. The approval of the current study represents a breakthrough for MHH researchers, who had to wait more than five years because of unclear drug-related conditions. Already in the year 2008 Prof. Haverich was with his project „Growing heart valves for implantation in childhood“ initially proposed for the German Future Prize. Due to patent disputes, however, the nomination was withdrawn by the then jury. (Fp)

Also read:
Aortic valve replacement: Consult the heart surgeon first
Dandelion cure: Beware of blood thinners

Picture: Gerd Altmann