Tissue engineering is gaining ground in the development of prostheses. The IMAVALVE project generated a novel technology with off-the-shelf availability at lower cost to meet the growing clinical need for artificial heart valves.
Current heart valve prostheses enhance survival and quality of life, but associated problems affect 30-35 % of the patients within 10 years after operation. This often translates into serious valve-related morbidity throughout life and a need for reoperation.
Further details: Off-the-shelf heart valves