Prosthetic heart valve adapts as kids grow to avoid invasive surgeries

An adjustable prosthetic heart valve developed at Boston Children's Hospital could help reduce the need for risky open heart surgeries for children born with defects

For some children born with congenital heart disease, prosthetic valves that maintain a healthy flow of blood are a harsh reality of their young lives. This not only requires open heart surgery to implant the device initially, but repeated high-risk procedures to replace them every few years as their body grows. Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital have been working towards more of a one-size-fits all solution, and have come up with a design they say works at a variety of diameters, and can be adjusted as needed without the need for invasive surgeries down the track.

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