Application of biological glue in repair of intracardiac structural defects.
BACKGROUND
BioGlue (Cryolife Inc, Kennesaw GA) was introduced as an alternative tissue sealant. Its most common application has been in repairs of acute dissections of the aorta. There is no reported experience with its use in the repair of intracardiac structural defects.


METHODS
In 5 patients BioGlue was used as an adjunct in repairs of complex intracardiac structural defects. It was used during patch repair of posterior mitral annular defects in 2 patients and aortic annular defect in 1 patient in the presence of active endocarditis. It was also used in 1 patient with a chronic atrioventricular groove pseudoaneurysm following mitral valve replacement, and in 1 patient during repair of a postinfarction posterior ventricular septal rupture.


RESULTS
There were no hospital or late deaths. Immediate intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography and late follow-up echocardiography documented complete and durable repair of all defects without recurrence. At follow-up all patients are in New York Heart Association class I-II, 6 to 29 months postoperatively. No patient has suffered late complications or exhibited signs of glue embolization.


CONCLUSIONS
BioGlue was found to be an effective adjuvant to the standard techniques used for the repair of intracardiac structural defects of various etiologies. Long-term follow-up is recommended to determine its long-term safety in this application.
Fink
Daniel
D
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Heart and Vascular Institute of New Jersey, Englewood, NJ, USA.
Klein
James J
JJ
Kang
Hyun
H
Ergin
M Arisan
MA
D000368:Aged; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D003323:Coronary Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D004452:Echocardiography; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006342:Heart Rupture, Post-Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D011506:Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012086:Reoperation; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014014:Tissue Adhesives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
C472676:Bio-glue; D011506:Proteins; D014014:Tissue Adhesives