We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
RANDOX LABORATORIES

Download Mobile App




Breakthrough Heart Valve Combines Best of Mechanical and Tissue Replacement Technology

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 16 Sep 2024
Print article
Image: Rendered isometric views of the iValve are shown in the A) closed and B) open positions (Photo courtesy of Journal of Biomechanics)
Image: Rendered isometric views of the iValve are shown in the A) closed and B) open positions (Photo courtesy of Journal of Biomechanics)

When a patient requires a new heart valve, the existing mechanical and tissue replacements each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Tissue valves generally perform better than mechanical ones due to their shape but typically last only 15 to 20 years, necessitating another replacement in the future. Mechanical valves can last a lifetime but do not perform as effectively as tissue valves and require patients to take daily anticoagulants. Now, a team of researchers believes they have found a way to combine the advantages of both technologies in a manner that could be transformative—and life-saving—for many individuals.

A research team at UBC Okanagan (Kelowna, Canada) has developed a heart valve that merges the best features of both tissue and mechanical technologies, potentially outperforming current valves. Their latest creation called the iValve, is their most advanced to date and integrates the optimal aspects of both mechanical and tissue valves for heart valve replacement. While mechanical heart valve replacements have been in use for a long time, a persistent challenge has been perfecting the technology for the smallest hearts—those of tiny infants. What makes the iValve particularly exciting is that it is specifically designed for high-heart-rate applications, such as in pediatric patients. The new iValve could also significantly improve the quality of life for patients who currently undergo regular anticoagulant therapy—blood thinners—which can increase the risk of severe bleeding, blood clots, or damage to tissues and organs if blood flow is impeded.

This valve is engineered to allow blood to flow to the aorta, the body's largest artery and the vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart throughout the body. The researchers' next goal is to apply their findings to develop a replacement for the mitral valve, which ensures that blood flows from the left atrium to the left ventricle and prevents it from flowing backward between these two chambers. Their research has been published in the Journal of Biomechanics. Now that their prototype is performing well in mechanical laboratory tests, the researchers plan to advance to animal and clinical trials. If all goes as planned, they hope the iValve could be ready for these trials within two years.

Related Links:
UBC Okanagan

Gold Member
POC Blood Gas Analyzer
Stat Profile Prime Plus
Flocked Fiber Swabs
Puritan® patented HydraFlock®
New
Venous Vascular Closure System
VASCADE MVP
New
Portable Color Doppler Ultrasound Scanner
DCU10

Print article
Radcal

Channels

Critical Care

view channel
Image: The Biointegrated Implantable Systems for Cell-based Sensing and Therapy technology can be used to treat various diseases (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Implantable Cell-Based Bioelectronic Devices to Enable Patient-Specific Treatment and Disease Monitoring

Researchers are advancing the development of implantable, cell-based bioelectronic devices designed to provide personalized therapy and monitor disease conditions such as hypo- and hyperthyroidism in real-time.... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The portable, handheld BeamClean technology inactivates pathogens on commonly touched surfaces in seconds (Photo courtesy of Freestyle Partners)

First-Of-Its-Kind Portable Germicidal Light Technology Disinfects High-Touch Clinical Surfaces in Seconds

Reducing healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) remains a pressing issue within global healthcare systems. In the United States alone, 1.7 million patients contract HAIs annually, leading to approximately... Read more

Health IT

view channel
Image: First ever institution-specific model provides significant performance advantage over current population-derived models (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients

Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
The Atellica VTLi Patient-side Immunoassay Analyzer, a high-sensitivity troponin I test at the bedside, delivers accurate results in just 8 minutes (Photo courtesy of Siemens Healthineers)

New 8-Minute Blood Test to Diagnose or Rule Out Heart Attack Shortens ED Stay

Emergency department overcrowding is a significant global issue that leads to increased mortality and morbidity, with chest pain being one of the most common reasons for hospital admissions.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.