(Au) Kangaroo to human transplants - heart valves

[Guest guest]

Sunday Times, Western Australia

Roo transplant makes a hearty leap forward

By NADIA MIRAUDO

18aug02

 

KANGAROO heart valves could be transplanted in West Australian patients as

early as next year.

 

In a world first, Fremantle Hospital cardiothoracic researchers Dr Leon

Neethling and Dr Andrew Hodge hope to begin clinical trials by the end of

next year.

 

Dr Neethling said compared to the commonly used pig or bovine valves,

kangaroo valves were anatomically similar to humans.

 

Extensive testing on rats and sheep had shown kangaroo valves would outlast

pig-valve transplants.

 

" The kangaroo valves have two outstanding features, " Dr Neethling said.

 

" One, they don't calcify as much as a pig valve. Kangaroo valves have a

very, very low calcification potential; and secondly, anatomically it has a

very beneficial opening to allow maximum flow without any obstructive muscle

shelf like the porcine valve.

 

" The results are very significant. It's very beneficial and very exciting.

 

" In theory, if you have this kind of success rate in animals then we believe

they should last a substantial period of time in humans. "

 

Dr Neethling said it was possible kangaroo valves would be commonly used in

open-heart surgery in four years.

 

He said since the study began in 1996, valves had been transplanted in 100

rats and 40 sheep – all with successful results.

 

The rats had provided information on the calcification potential, while the

valves had been transplanted in sheep in different positions to test their

use and durability.

 

He said the study had shown kangaroo valves calcified 80-90 per cent less

than a porcine valve.

 

Dr Neethling said he hoped to trial at least 10 patients suffering from

heart-valve disease.

 

Dr Hodge and Dr Neethling will present the results of their research –

funded by the Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation, Fremantle

Heart Institute and Medical Research of WA – at June's Biennial World

Conference on Heart Valve Disease in France.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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