First-of-Its-Kind Non-Surgical Pediatric Heart Valve to Transform Treatment of Congenital Heart Disease

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 31 Aug 2023

Image: The easy to use transcatheter pulmonary valve for young children requires only a small incision (Photo courtesy of PolyVascular)

Children born with congenital heart defects often undergo a series of invasive open-heart surgeries that affect their ability to lead full lives. Now, a first-of-its-kind, non-surgical heart valve holds the promise of reducing the need for multiple procedures in young children afflicted by congenital heart disease and significantly improving their quality of life.

PolyVascular (Houston, TX, USA) is developing a next-generation heart valve replacement for children suffering from congenital heart disease. The company offers the only non-surgical pulmonary valve and delivery system suitable for children as young as two years old. PolyVascular’s minimally invasive valve minimizes the need for open heart surgeries, allowing the children to embrace a healthy and normal lifestyle. PolyVascular's biocompatible, robust, polymer-based valve overcomes the limitations inherent in current solutions wherein animal tissue valves can lead to endocarditis and human donor grafts might sensitively impact the child's immune system. Notably, the valve can be manufactured in various sizes to accommodate diverse patient needs.

The PolyVascular pulmonary valve is accompanied by an easy-to-use delivery system developed specifically for children that allows the valve percutaneously to be positioned safely. Furthermore, the stented polymer valve technology developed by PolyVascular can be scaled up to cater to larger sizes suitable for teenagers and adults, and can be expanded to explore the aortic, mitral, and tricuspid valve markets. PolyVascular is now further advancing the development of its novel polymer heart valve valve, aiming to make it clinically ready for human use. This potentially life-saving technology holds the prospect of eliminating the need for invasive surgeries in children afflicted by congenital heart disease.

Related Links:
PolyVascular