A faculty member at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences announced that a team of Iranian surgeons have achieved a new technique in making heart valves from the patient’s own tissue; a method that has immortalized Iran’s name in the history of heart surgery with its global registration.
According to Radio Salamat’s public relations, Dr. Ahmad Ali Amirghofran, a cardiovascular surgeon and faculty member at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, referred to the long-standing challenges in treating heart valve diseases in the “Ta Soraya” program, saying: Mechanical and biological valves that have been used in the past decades each have their own limitations. Metal valves require continuous use of anticoagulant drugs, and biological valves are rejected by the body over time.
Stating that his research team's goal was to create a valve that is compatible with the patient's own body, he added: "We started our research in 2018 and, using a tissue called the right atrial appendage, we succeeded in creating a valve from the patient's own tissue. The first sample was performed in 2013, and after reviewing its successful performance in 2018, the project continued on a larger scale."
Amir Ghufran continued: "By 2024, this technique had been performed on more than 240 patients and the results were very satisfactory. This success prompted us to expand this method to other heart valves. In this regard, a valve for the hard region of the heart was designed, which won the 2023 Innovation Award."
Referring to the design of a dedicated frame called "Shiraz," he said: "This frame helps surgeons to easily mount the desired tissue on it and create a completely personalized valve for the patient." This innovation has made our technique usable by most cardiac surgeons and has the potential for mass production.
The faculty member of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences emphasized: All patient information is regularly recorded and reviewed, and we have made all data transparently available to the international community with scientific responsibility. Now surgeons in different countries are using this method and we have received positive feedback.
Pointing out that this technique was initially designed for the pulmonary valve of one-year-old children with congenital heart problems, Amir Ghofran said: We used tissue that was not difficult for the patient to remove and converted it into a heart valve with an innovative technique. This method was first performed on a patient in 2013, and after five years of study, its successful performance gave us hope to continue on this path.
He added: In 2024, with the aim of expanding this technique and facilitating its implementation for surgeons, we designed the "Shiraz" frame. This frame acts like a skeleton on which tissue is mounted and is easily placed in the patient's body. This innovation can be an alternative to metal and biological valves and will be available in heart surgery centers in the near future.
Referring to the global impact of this achievement, the cardiovascular surgeon said: "We documented all the steps from the very beginning, produced educational videos and presented scientific papers at international congresses. Now we receive emails from different countries showing that this technique is being implemented and has been welcomed."
Expressing his happiness at registering this achievement in the name of Iran, Amir Ghofran said: "Our honor is that we were able to highlight the name of our country with innovation and knowledge in a global specialized field. This success belongs to all the people of Iran." We are happy that we have been able to help patients, both in Iran and around the world, and open a new horizon in heart surgery.
