Pädiatrische tissue engineerte Herzklappen auf Basis einer Fibringelmatrix : Optimierung des Herstellungs- und Konditionierungsprozesses

• Tissue engineered pediatric heart valves based on a fibringel matrix : optimization of the manufacturing and conditioning process

Hasken, Stefan Wilhelm; Jockenhövel, Stefan (Thesis advisor)

Aachen : Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen University (2012)
Dissertation / PhD Thesis

Aachen, Techn. Hochsch., Diss., 2012

Abstract

Acquired and congenital diseases of the heart valves often make it necessary to replace them. Due to the lack of growth potential, as well as other disadvantages of currently used heart valve prostheses, the supply of children with congenital heart defects is currently unsatisfactory. With the help of tissue engineering completely autologous and growing heart valves can be manufactured individually. The aim of this study was to adapt the knowledge made so far to valvular tissue engineering based on a fibrin gel to the needs of pediatric heart valves. This adaptation to the synthesis of tissue engineered heart valves in a reproducible quality was conducted in three work packages: (1) The readjustment of the 3D mould geometry to the miniaturized dimensions for pediatric application. Optimization of detaching process using a biological lubricant to get the valves completely out of the mould, (2) the study of a feasible cell source in terms of a suitable experimental animal model and for the subsequent clinical use. Therefore a comparison of tissue engineered heart valves made of ovine cells from the carotid artery with ones made out of cells of the ovine umbilical cord was performed and (3) the influence of retraction processes during tissue formation. With the introduction of a static preconditioning, before dynamic conditioning of the heart valves, the tissue shrinkage could almost completely be prevented and adequate heart valves were produced. Based also on the results of this work currently an animal experimental study is made in an lamb growth model. For the future tissue engineered heart valves have to be remodeled so that they anatomically and physiologically more correspond to their natural models. It is also necessary to gain a better understanding of the molecular remodeling processes in a tissue engineered valve during the conditioning process.

Institutions

• [811001-1]