Stem cell therapy for single ventricle congenital heart disease - current state and future directions.

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is one of the most complex forms of congenital heart disease, characterized by an underdeveloped left ventricle, outflow tract and aorta. Current surgical and medical treatment for this disease remains palliative. As a result of the multi-step surgery, the right ventricle plays the role of the systemic ventricle, which inevitably leads to its failure.

Safety and efficacy of transcoronary transfer of human neonatal stem cells to ischemic myocardium using a novel cell-delivery system (CIRCULATE catheter) in swine model of acute myocardial infarction.

Introduction: Stem cell-based therapies have shown promise in adults with ischemic cardiomyopathy and children with congenital heart diseases, especially those without available therapeutic options. Human neonatal mesenchymal stem cells (nMSCs) have greater regenerative potential than adult stem cells.

Aim: To describe our experience with a novel catheter system for transcoronary delivery of cell-based therapies (CIRCULATE catheter) in the intra-coronary delivery of nMSCs in a swine acute myocardial infarct model.