CorMatrix ECM Video
Watch how ECM Technology helps repair damaged heart tissue
Surgical Implant Video
Watch suturing technique for pericardial closure
CorMatrix ECM for Pericardial Closure
Doug Boyd, MD, MEd
Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, UC Davis Health System, Sacramento, CA
“CorMatrix ECM™ Technology makes pericardial closure possible thereby allowing surgeons to restore anatomy to its native state. Closure of the pericardium helps to protect the heart and its underlying grafts and makes it easier and safer to re-access the heart if a subsequent procedure is needed. Previously utilized materials often resulted in unwanted effects including the risk of calcification or adhesion formation.”
Download the product brochure here.
Role of the Pericardium
The pericardium is the fluid filled sac that surrounds and protects the heart and its great vessels. In addition to protection, the pericardium has an important role in maintaining proper cardiac physiology by maintaining proper wall and septal motion and filling pressures. In addition to its fibrous composition for protection, the pericardium is lined with a single layer of mesothelium. As with many organs, this layer keeps tissues from adhering to each other. The intact mesothelium also secretes proteins that dissolve fibrous adhesions within the pericardial space. Click here to learn more about the functional role of the pericardium.
Restoring the Pericardium during Surgery
Open-heart surgery requires opening the pericardium to gain access to the heart structures. Once divided, the pericardium retracts significantly and an inflammatory response starts in the body signaling a change has occurred. Following surgery, the pericardium is difficult to re-approximate and is typically left open to avoid causing undue pressure on underlying grafts and structures. However, the absence of the pericardial barrier often leads to scarring and the formation of adhesions between the heart and sternum. Moreover, the normal function of the pericardium is compromised. Available synthetic materials have largely been abandoned as viable options for pericardial closure because they have been shown to cause more adhesions, calcifications and infections.
CorMatrix ECM for Pericardial Closure is intended for the reconstruction and repair of the pericardium. CorMatrix ECM allows cells to infiltrate the ECM to remodel and form a new pericardial layer. Preclinical data suggests that reformation of the pericardial space, complete with an intact mesothelial lining, provides a solution for surgeons to reconstruct the pericardium and restore the normal anatomic structure.
Download the Suturing Technique Guide for Pericardial Closure.