Heart Valve Incorporates Tissue Treatment

A new treatment process incorporated into tissue heart valves significantly reduces leaflet calcification, one of the primary causes of tissue valve deterioration.

The process, called ThermaFix, was co-developed by biochemist Sophie Carpentier, Ph.D., and her husband, Prof. Alain Carpentier, chairman of the department of cardiovascular surgery at the Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou in Paris (France). The ThermaFix process is now available on all the Perimount Magna replacement tissue heart valves of Edwards Life Sciences (Irvine, CA, USA).

The Perimount Magna valve, an aortic replacement tissue heart valve constructed of bovine pericardium, is designed specifically to optimize blood flow. It facilitates placement above the patient's native valve opening, which may allow surgeons to implant a valve that is larger than other conventional tissue valves. Surgeons generally prefer valves that can provide optimal blood flow for their patients, and the Perimount valve line has been shown to provide greater valve opening areas to facilitate blood flow, according to an article in the September 2004 issue of Circulation.

"Although pericardial valves have demonstrated decades of reliable performance, mitigating the calcification of a tissue valve's leaflets has been a focus of research and development since their introduction,” noted Albert Starr, M.D., medical director of the Providence Heart and Vascular Institute (Oregon). "By coupling the Perimount Magna valve's improved hemodynamic performance with the ThermaFix process, Edwards is providing patients with the confidence that they are getting the best technology there is to offer.”





Related Links:
Edwards Life Sciences
Providence Heart & Vascular