New 3D-printed heart valves could save children's lives: Montreal researchers
Researchers at the Sainte-Justine Hospital are testing what might be a major breakthrough in helping children with heart defects.
They’re using a 3D printer to make heart valves and in about an hour, the machine will reproduce something so precious. It has the potential to add years to a life and it's roughly the size of a raspberry.
"I really believe this is really promising," said PhD student Arman Jafari, who has found a new way to make heart valves with Sainte-Justine Hospital principal investigator Houman Savoji.
Using hydrogels — known for being compatible with tissue generation — the valve is produced in a 3D printer. Stem cells could then be harvested from the patient, put on the valve, and grown in a bioreactor before being implanted into the patient.
"So everything is personalized. We call it personalized medicine," said Savoji.
Currently, a damaged heart valve is replaced with one from an animal heart or mechanical valve but that comes with risks.
"When you have the mechanical heart valve, it might work for 10 years, or 20 years, but for that whole time you have to take anti-coagulation drugs, which can cause serious complications," said Jafari.
Another issue with traditional valve replacements is they don’t grow with the patient so multiple surgeries could be required.
"If you implant such a valve, you mostly know this will not last a lifetime, this will not be incorporated into the body," said Dr. Gregor Andelfinger, a pediatric cardiologist.
What’s exciting about the new technology is that it’s using the patient’s own cells. Early tests show there’s less chance of rejection and the hope is the valve will grow with the patient.
"The cells start remodelling or making their own structure and then this material disappears during time. And then the cells make their own structure and support and then they grow with the patient," Savoji said.
The next step is experimenting on animals and human trials could begin in about a decade. If it works, it could offer new hope to adults and children with heart disease.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.