In-Vivo Repopularization of a Tissue-Engineered Heart Valve in a Human Subject Pascal M. Dohmen, Steffen Hauptmann, Alexander Terytze, Wolfgang F.
Konertz |
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A 63-year-old male with a massively calcified aortic valve showed an active lifestyle. Therefore, valve replacement was completed using the Ross procedure. During postoperative echocardiographic control, a ventricular septal defect was noted which was closed surgically. During this reoperation, a biopsy sample was taken from the wall of the tissue-engineered heart valve which was used to reconstruct |
the right ventricular outflow tract. A persistent monolayer
of endothelial cells and host recellularization of the deeper layer was
demonstrated histologically. The postoperative course was uneventful,
and the patient rapidly recovered. After six years, he remains in excellent
health. |
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