Press Release

Monday, 02 May 2016

University of Barcelona second centre to start clinical trial on decellularized homografts for aortic valve replacement

A team of surgeons at the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, led by Dr. Eduard Quintana (MD, PhD, FETCS), successfully performed the first implantation of a decellularized aortic homograft for aortic valve replacement in Spain. The implantation was performed within the ARISE trial, which aims to evaluate the results of this new technique at 6 leading cardiac surgical centres within Europe.

Decellularized aortic homografts derive from donated human heart valves, which are processed using a new technology to minimize patient`s immune response to the implanted biological valve. “Patients do not need permanent anticoagulation and homografts do have an outstanding effective valve orifice area, which makes them very attractive for patients with contraindications for blood thinners or poor function of the left cardiac chamber” says Prof. Jose L. Pomar, the leading investigator for the ARISE study in Barcelona. Prof. José L. Pomar has been one of the pioneers in Europe using homografts since the late 1990’s. He developed a Cardiovascular Tissue Bank linked to the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona and has long-standing experience in this surgical field. He is the Director of the Cardiovascular Tissue Bank of the Transplant Services Foundation of Barcelona since 1990.

Figure: Dr. Quintana and his patient before discharge at postoperative day 6.