Coronary Artery Disease – VJRegenMed

Human acellular vessels in coronary artery disease

Simon Ng — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 13:14:38 +0000

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery represents the standard of care for patients with coronary artery disease, and whilst nearby vessels such as the internal mammary artery are utilized to relive blockages, some patients use the saphenous vein in the leg. Harvesting the saphenous vein is less efficacious and carries a higher risk of infection. Alan Kypson, MD, FACS, UNC REX Hospital, Raleigh, NC, describes the development of off-the-shelf human acellular vessels (HAVs) that are resistant to infection. Studies in primate models demonstrated the efficacy of HAVs, where smooth muscle and endothelial cells repopulated the graft, successfully replicating a blood vessel. This interview took place at Advanced Therapies Week 2022.

The development of human acellular vessels and its advantages

Simon Ng — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 13:14:35 +0000

Alan Kypson, MD, FACS, UNC REX Hospital, Raleigh, NC, provides an overview of the manufacturing process of human acellular vessels (HAVs) and their advantages in the clinical setting. The production of HAVs begin with the application of banked human vascular smooth muscle cells on a tubular mesh scaffold which is subsequently placed in a bioreactor. As the mesh degrades, the extracellular matrix remains and decellularization enables the HAV to be non-immunogenic. Dr Kypson highlights additional advantages including the large-scale manufacturing capabilities of HAVs, as well as their off-the-shelf nature. This interview took place at Advanced Therapies Week 2022.

The future of small-diameter human acellular vessels

Simon Ng — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 13:14:34 +0000

Whilst the field of cardiac bioengineering has predominantly focused on 3D printing and cell and gene therapies, research on human acellular vessels (HAVs) is still in its infancy. Alan Kypson, MD, FACS, UNC REX Hospital, Raleigh, NC, discusses current developments in HAVs and their potential applications. Large-diameter HAVs can be applied in dialysis for patients with end-stage renal disease or in a surgical setting for patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Dr Kypson additionally emphasizes future research on small-diameter HAVs, which can be used in patients with cardiovascular disease, especially in patients who often lack the appropriate vessels for bypass surgery. This interview took place at Advanced Therapies Week 2022.