BioStable HAART device

The HAART device was developed and is manufactured by a local Austin company, BioStable Science & Engineering. It’s designed to provide surgeons with more opportunities to offer aortic valve repair to a greater number of patients.

“Essentially if there is an issue with valves, we want to repair rather than replace,” says Dr. McNeil.  “Options for aortic valve repair were limited, until now. This device allows for repair of the valve rather than having to perform a valve replacement.”

In many cases, tiny parts of the aortic valve known as leaflets are removed and replaced to correct a leak. The HAART device allows the surgeon to preserve the patient’s existing leaflets if they are still healthy.

It supports the leaflets and holds them tightly together and securely in place to prevent any future disruption in blood flow or leakage.

Dr. McNeil likens the HAART device to “the frame of a house, providing the frame or structure to the aortic valve.”

The benefits of using the HAART device to repair aortic valves rather than replacing them include:

No need for lifelong blood thinners (anticoagulation medication) as with mechanical replacement valves.
Better durability than a tissue valve replacement, which typically only lasts 10 to 15 years.