The State of the Art in Tissue Engineered Heart Valves

The State of the Art in Tissue Engineered Heart Valves

Introduction

As advances in science and medicine have occurred, the idea of "tissue engineering", which focuses on fabricating living replacement body tissue and organs by cultivating cells has evolved. In the last decade the field of tissue engineering has grown dramatically and its use to combat disease and injury has the potential to revolutionise methods of health care treatment and improve the quality of life for millions of people.

One such disease that many people suffer from is valvular heart disease which affects the regulation of blood flow through the heart. It is estimated that 300,000 valve replacement procedures are performed annually around the world .

Conventional treatment for this type of disease is undertaken using mechanical devices and prostheses. However, they come with significant disadvantages such as noise, rejection and transmission of infection. Biological valves such as hetrographs or homographs are also available for valve repair and replacement. However these also have draw backs mainly relating to progressive tissue deterioration. Due to this tissue deterioration, biological tissue valves need replacing every 10-15 years causing further discomfort to the patient.

As a result of the problems associated with mechanical and biological heart valves, tissue engineered heart valves have now been produced. These valves combine most of the characteristics of the healthy native heart valves and have the