Russia to start producing its own bioprosthetic mitral heart valves

Scientists from the Meshalkin National Medical Research Center in Novosibirsk have developed a new bioprosthetic mitral valve. To install it, open surgery is not required - the valve enters the heart through a catheter. The development will help make mitral valve replacement surgery more accessible to Russians.

The valve model created by scientists at the Meshalkin Center has no analogues in terms of shape, method of attachment and biomaterial processing technologies. And not only in Russia: the Russian valve is anatomically and functionally more complex.

The biological part of the mitral valve prosthesis is sewn manually from a pig's pericardial sac preserved using the latest anticalcium compounds.

The frame of the product made of nitinol tube has a shape memory. This means that the prosthesis can be bent when cooled and inserted into the delivery system. As soon as it reaches the target and becomes the same temperature as the patient's body, it straightens out and takes the shape specified during manufacture.

In this form, the Novosibirsk bioprosthetic mitral valve has already been patented and preclinical trials on animals began in the summer of 2023. Cardiac surgeons have already successfully implanted the prosthesis in a laboratory sheep, but in order to proceed to clinical trials, at least fifteen such operations are needed.