Modified tissue cardiomyoplasty and tissue engineered heart valves for congenital heart disease surgery

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Axel Haverich
• Subject Area: Cardiac and Vascular Surgery
• Term: from 2009 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 129619891

Materials for right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction are still a matter of major concern in surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD). Postoperative right ventricular (RV) failure is a crucial cause of late morbidity and mortality. Recently, many research projects have focused on regenerative medicine. Tissue engineered (TE) heart valves and TE myocardial patches seem to be very promising therapeutical strategies for clinical use. Based on this background, we are establishing a research consortium between Hannover and Osaka with the aim to develop an integrated surgical strategy for the reconstruction of the RVOT. The presented research project consists of four parts:Assessment of clinical features of RVOT pathologies and RV failure after surgical repair of complex CHD by the establishment and analysis of a clinical database. Construction of TE myocardial patches based on biological vascularized matrices (BioVaM) and myocardial cell sheets for RVOT reconstruction. Development of a combined RVOT graft consisting of a TE heart valve and an autologous myocardial patch consisting of a segment of small intestine (autologous vascularized matrix = AutoVaM). Development of a combined RVOT graft consisting of a TE heart valve and a TE myocardial patch (BioVaM combined with myocardial cell sheets). Endpoint of this project is the development of a clinically applicable TE graft for RVOT reconstruction that is suitable for various kinds of RVOT pathologies.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Japan
• Participating Persons: Dr. Heidi Görler; Dr. Andres Hilfiker; Professor Dr. Yoshiki Sawa