title: Application of the CardioCel bovine pericardial patch - a preliminary report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Animal pericardial patches are widely used in adult and pediatric cardiac surgery. A search is ongoing for a new material with optimal surgical properties that will reduce intraoperative bleeding and the occurrence of restenosis, calcification, and pseudoaneurysms in long-term observation. One product of interest is the CardioCel bovine pericardial patch.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of the short-term results of CardioCel bovine pericardial patch implantation during pediatric cardiac surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 8 patients who underwent surgical correction of congenital cardiac defects between January 2015 and February 2016. Pericardial patches were used to repair supravalvular aortic stenosis and reconstruct the aortic arch and pulmonary arteries. The age of the patients ranged from 10 days to 14 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no hospital deaths. The new material exhibited satisfactory durability and elasticity during surgery, facilitating optimal adaptation of the patch to the patient's tissues. No significant bleeding was reported from the suture site. The median duration of follow-up was 58 days. During the follow-up, there were no symptoms of pseudoaneurysm formation, patch thickening, or calcification in the areas where the pericardial patches were implanted. No clinical or laboratory symptoms of infection were observed in locations where the new material was applied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Satisfactory surgical properties of the patch were observed intraoperatively. Positive results using the new pericardial patch were obtained in short-term follow-up.
authors: Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors: Michał
authors: M
authors: Sobieraj
authors: Nursing Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors: Edyta
authors: E
authors: Cudak
authors: Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors: Wojciech
authors: W
authors: Mrówczyński
authors: K. Jonscher Clinical Hospital, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors: Tomasz K
authors: TK
authors: Nałęcz
authors: Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors: Przemysław
authors: P
authors: Westerski
authors: Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors: Michał
authors: M
authors: Wojtalik
keywords: aortic arch; pericardial patch; stenosis