Recent Advances in the Modification and Improvement of Bioprosthetic Heart Valves

The defects of bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs) such as thrombosis, structural valve degeneration, calcification, insufficient re-internalization, and inflammatory response have affected their biocompatibility and longevity. The strategies of surface modification with natural polymeric materials, hydrophilic antifouling polymers, bioactive molecules, and nanodrug delivery systems can be a promising way to improve BHVs. AbstractValvular heart disease (VHD) has become a burden and a growing public health problem in humans, causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. An increasing number of patients with severe VHD need to undergo heart valve replacement surgery, and artificial heart valves are in high demand. However, allogeneic valves from donors are lacking and cannot meet clinical practice needs. A mechanical heart valve can activate the coagulation pathway after contact with blood after implantation in the cardiovascular system, leading to thrombosis. Therefore, bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs) are still a promising way to solve this problem. However, there are still challenges in the use of BHVs. For example, their longevity is still unsatisfactory due to the defects, such as thrombosis, structural valve degeneration, calcification, insufficient re-endothelialization, and the inflammatory response. Therefore, strategies and methods are needed to effectively improve the biocompatibility and longevity of BHVs. This review describes the recent research advances i...
Source: Small - Category: Nanotechnology Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research