Mitral valve repair using biodegradable annuloplasty rings

The idea of developing a biodegradable ring is not a recent one. Already in 1983, Professor A. Carpentier predicted the potential use of biodegradable material for annuloplasty in his article entitled Cardiac valve surgery–the French correction by stating that the »reinforcement of the dysplastic annulus using a polyethyl-collagenol resorbable ring, which dissolves spontaneously in 12 months…« is »…replaced by strong connective tissue by a process of creeping substitution«.