Outcome of patch materials used in aortic valve repair : examining CorMatrix® bioscaffold as suitable cardiac tissue substitute

Aortic valve repair’s longevity is affected by failure mechanisms such as fibrosis, calcification and degeneration. New generation engineered patches such as CorMatrix® (SIS-ECM) are appealing options with much publicized potentials and advantages to aid growth and longevity. We developed clinical and experimental studies investigating the current clinical status of AV patch repair, then we took the clinical question to laboratory benches for experimental investigation on the potentials of CorMatrix® patch. This thesis contributes to the knowledge on the subject and affords evidence of originality. We studied the long-term outcome of patch use in non-rheumatic AV repair and found no differences between autologous or bovine pericardial patches. We established the safety of variable surgical techniques and identified multiple patches and valve-patient related influencing factors. Our progressive and chronic experimental studies examined CorMatrix® in couple of novel complex models. We revealed new data on its in vivo reaction and observed consistent lack of remodelling in allograft models; questioning the true potential and safety of the CorMatrix® for cardiac repair.