Improving outcomes of aortic valve replacement in children and young adults with rheumatic heart disease

Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) is a serious health issue in New Zealand, especially among Pasifika children and tamariki Māori. Recurrent RHD results in damage to the heart valves, and these children and young adults require high-risk heart valve operations. Unfortunately, the current artificial heart valves don’t work well for young people, as they often wear out quickly and may need more surgery later.

New surgical techniques such as the Ozaki procedure, which uses the patient’s own heart tissue to replace the valve, has been successful for RHD patients. Understanding the immune response associated to valvular RHD and graft failure after valve replacement, as well as innovating the surgical strategies for valve surgery in RHD will have a significant impact improving the quality of life in this very high risk and young population. This study will involve a full immunological analysis of heart tissue removed from the patients during surgery and checking the condition of their new valves one year later, comparing the results of the standard valve versus the new Ozaki procedure.