New heart treatment helps the body grow a replacement valve

Inside the Agilent Measurement Suite at Imperial's Molecular Sciences Research Hub - Replacement heart valves that grow inside the body are a step closer to reality following studies led by researchers at Imperial. Surgery to replace faulty heart valves has been possible for more than 60 years, but the treatment has medical drawbacks, both with mechanical or biological valves. But what if the body's natural repair mechanisms could be harnessed to build a living heart valve, right where it is needed? Recent studies led by researchers at Harefield Hospital and Imperial's National Heart and Lung Institute suggest that this approach is entirely possible. Heart valve replacement is a life-saving treatment, but it is rarely a long-term solution. Both mechanical and biological valves have their own drawbacks. Patients with mechanical valves must take drugs for the rest of their lives to prevent blood clotting. Biological valves, on the other hand, only last between 10 to 15 years.