Mitral valve replacement using a handmade construct in an infant.

We recently reported the feasibility of a handmade left atrioventricular valve using decellularized extracellular matrix for 3 months in a failed repair of AV canal defect. We present the use of an extracellular matrix mitral valve for 9 months in an infant with an un-repairable congenitally malformed valve. The valve functioned perfectly without anticoagulation until the patient expired from non-cardiac complications of their fibrillin gene defect. This report adds further experience using valves made from extracellular matrix in the systemic ventricle both in terms of application and in terms of short-term durability of the construct.