'Mini heart' could pump blood through faulty veins

In a breakthrough, scientists have developed a 'mini heart' from stem cells to help return blood flow from veins in patients lacking functional valves.
A rhythmically contracting cuff made of cardiac muscle cells surrounds the vein acting as a 'mini heart' to aid blood flow through venous segments.
The cuff can be made of a patient's own adult stem cells, eliminating the chance of implant rejection.
"We are suggesting, for the first time, to use stem cells to create, rather than just repair damaged organs," said Narine Sarvazyan from the George Washington University (GW), who invented the 'mini heart'.
"We can make a new heart outside of one's own heart, and by placing it in the lower extremities, significantly improve venous blood flow," said Sarvazyan.

The novel approach of creating 'mini hearts' may help to solve a chronic widespread disease, researchers said.

Chronic venous insufficiency is one of the most pervasive diseases, particularly in developed countries.
Its incidence can reach 20 to 30 per cent in people over 50 years of age, researchers said.
Additionally, sluggish venous blood flow is an issue for those with diseases such as diabetes, and for those with paralysis or recovering from surgery.
This potential new treatment option represents a leap for the tissue engineering field, advancing from organ repair to organ creation.
Sarvazyan, together with members of her team, has demonstrated the feasibility of this novel approach in vitro and is currently working toward testing these devices in vivo.

The research was published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics.