Implantability of a novel, pre-assembled aortic valved conduit with RESILIA™ tissue

BACKGROUND: Currently, the only commercial pre-assembled aortic valved conduits employ mechanical valves, requiring lifelong anticoagulation. Tissue-valved conduits that require assembly on the operating table are less standardized, require extensive experience for satisfactory results, and are limited in their longevity. The KONECT RESILIA™ Aortic Valved Conduit is a new tissue valved conduit that consists of a Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT™ Magna Ease™ aortic valve stent, the novel RESILIA™ tissue leaflets, and a new DualFit sewing ring pre-assembled to a Terumo GelWeave Valsalva Graft™. RESILIA tissue is a bovine pericardial tissue that may offer superior anti-calcification properties compared to contemporary tissue valves; furthermore, it may be stored dry. METHODS: We tested the handling and implantability of this new aortic valved conduit in 8 human cadaver hearts, as well as the valve removal potential without detaching the coronary ostia. RESULTS: The KONECT RESILIA aortic valved conduit's handling and implantability was uniformly satisfactory. The valve inside the conduit could be easily surgically extracted, leaving the conduit and coronary ostia intact. CONCLUSIONS: We found this first evaluation of the KONECT RESILIA Aortic Valved Conduit to be that it handled well and was easily implantable and extractable in a human cadaver model.