Public health issues

Author : Editorial Board,  

Development of Decellularised animal tissue for cardiovascular applications

Animals are turning out as your saviors especially when you have heart ailments. The Kerala Livestock Development Board (KLDB) and Sree Chithira Thirunal Institute of Medical Science and Technology (SCTIMST) have joined hands for the development of decellularised animal tissue for cardiovascular applications. The project aims at producing decellularised animal tissue such as bovine pericardium < and bovine jugular vein for use in paediatric surgeries as patch material and valved conduit. Animal tissue of biomedical quality is not currently produced anywhere in the country. Heart valves made using the pig’s valves or fabricated from bovine pericardium have been widely used in cardiac surgery for the last three decades. However, these tissues cannot be used in young patients as such, but decellularised. This type of animal tissue of biomedical quality is to be sourced from low-risk and well-monitored herd of male animals reared at the KLDB farms at Kulathupuzha and Dhoni and slaughtered for meat. A battery of tests will be done later to ensure the safety and efficacy of the processed tissues, complying with the ISO 12442 standard. The technology developed would soon be commercialized allowing the availability of high-quality, low cost products for cardiac surgery, benefiting a large number of children of the lower socio-economic groups. Quoting Dr. Ani. S. Das, Managing Director, KLDB, this is going to be a major achievement as it would bring down the high cost of valves from the present Rs. 2 lakh to just Rs. 10,000, a great service to the common man.