Introduction: Aortic valve replacement (AVR) via right anterior mini-thoracotomy (RAMT) is less traumatic than via other surgical routes; using a novel aortic valve may confer long-term resistance against valve deterioration, and thus be useful in younger, more active patients. Here we aim to validate using the INSPIRIS RESILIA valve with minimally invasive RAMT. Methods: Between April 2017 and June 2019, 100 patients underwent video-assisted minimally invasive AVR by RAMT, using the INSPIRIS RESILIA aortic valve. Cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was through femoral vessels. Clinical data were prospectively entered into our institutional database. Results: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and cross-clamping times were 79 ± 38 and 41 ± 17 min. Surgical access was successful in 100% of cases. There were no cases of intraoperative mortality, 30-day mortality, cerebrovascular events, rethoracotomy for bleeding, valve-related reoperation, right internal mammary artery injury, or conversion to sternotomy. Intensive care and hospital stays were 2 ± 1 and 6 ± 3 days, respectively. One patient had a pacemaker fitted. Postoperative dialysis was necessary in one patient. Trace to mild aortic valve regurgitation occurred in two patients. No structural valve deterioration (SVD) and paravalvular leak were seen. At 1-year follow-up mean effective orifice area (EOA) was 1.8 ± 0.1 cm 2 , peak gradient was 22.1 ± 3.1 mmHg, and mean gradient was 11.5 ± 2.3 mmHg. Conclusion:Our preliminary experience suggests that RAMT for AVR using the INSPIRIS RESILIA aortic valve is safe, effective, and reproducible. Larger studies are needed to evaluate the long-term efficacy and durability of this new valve.

Objectives: CD133pos cells are currently evaluated for use in cardiac cell therapy. We hypothesized that they exert their beneficial effects in a paracrine manner and investigated this in a cell culture ischaemia model. Furthermore, we checked whether purified CD133pos cells perform better than non-fractionated mononuclear cells (MNC). Methods: CD133pos cells were isolated from bone marrow MNC and conditioned medium was prepared from CD133pos and non-fractionated MNC. HL-1 cardiomyocytes were subjected to simulated ischaemia in the respective conditioned media or in control medium. After treatment, total remaining cells, apoptotic cells and nuclear shrinking were quantified using an automated imaging system. Furthermore, metabolic activity and phosphorylation of kinases Akt, Erk1/2, GSK3b and transcription factor Stat3 were investigated. Results: After simulated ischaemia, the rate of detached dead cells was lowest in CD133pos conditioned medium (26 ± 6%) and highest in control medium (36 ± 6%). In CD133pos conditioned medium, the fraction of nonapoptotic cells was most enhanced and nuclear shrinking as a consequence of apoptosis was reduced. Cell viability was also highest in CD133pos conditioned medium (109.4 ± 8.8% in relation to control). In both conditioned media, phosphorylation of Akt, Erk1/2, and GSK3b was lower than in control medium. Stat3 phosphorylation was sustained on the level of control. Conclusions: Factors released from purified CD133pos bone marrow cells exhibit more pronounced protective effects on HL-1 cardiomyocytes under simulated ischaemia than from non-fractionated MNC. These effects are not associated with the phosphorylation of cell survival promoting kinases Akt, Erk1/2, GSK3b and transcription factor Stat3. Although the molecular mechanism of cardioprotection by CD133pos cells requires further investigation, our results reinforce the advantage of enriching CD133pos cells for cardiac cell therapy.

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