Techtextil 2022

2022-06-22

Techtextil Innovation Award 2022 goes to ITM for novel textile heart valve prostheses developed

Award-winning team from ITM of the Techtextil Innovation Award 2022: Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. Chokri Cherif (ITM, 2nd from left), Philipp Schegner (ITM, center) and Dr.-Ing. Dilbar Aibibu (ITM, 2nd from right) together with Michael Jänecke (Messe Frankfurt, left) and Dr. Heike Iling-Günther (STFI; jury member of the Techtextil Innovation Award, right).

Scientists from the Institute of Textile Machinery and High Performance Textile Materials (ITM) at TU Dresden have been awarded the Techtextil Innovation Award 2022 in the "New Product" category at the Techtextil 2022 international trade fair for their woven heart valve implants.

Within the framework of a research project of the Industrial Joint Research (IGF), scientists of the ITM developed novel textile heart valve prostheses. The implants can be precisely adapted to the anatomical shape and placed in the heart in a minimally invasive way. The textile heart valve is integrally manufactured. Here, the valve is integrated in situ during the weaving process. Thus, the flow-optimized heart valve consists of a single textile structure. Further joining processes, e.g. by sewing, are no longer required. This reduces the manufacturing effort enormously in contrast to today's production of biological heart valve prostheses by hand.

Prof. Chokri Cherif, Institute Director of ITM, and his team are very pleased about the continuous interdisciplinary research successes that are constantly achieved at ITM in close cooperation with technical weavers, medical experts and users. "Already two years ago, we were honored with this novel development as one of the three finalist teams of the Otto von Guericke Prize 2020. The selection for the Techtextil Innovation Award 2022 is a renewed confirmation of the need for our practice-oriented research and a special tribute, but at the same time also a further incentive for the prompt implementation of our research results in industry."

To date, mechanical and biological valves have been available for the treatment of defective heart valves. The novel woven heart valve prostheses are expected to combine the advantages of both types: unlimited lifespan, no need to take blood-thinning drugs for life, and minimally invasive surgery. Furthermore, the textile heart valves can be manufactured in a time- and cost-saving manner with high reproducibility and quality.