By Sanu George, IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala will become the first state in the country to make human heart valves from bovine calves, a top state official said Monday.
At present these valves are made in India from imported pericardial tissues and jugular veins of bovine calves.
“We expect the project to begin in three months time at our Kulathupuzha bovine farm,” managing director of Kerala Livestock Development Board Ani S. Das told IANS.
“We expect the first valve to be ready in 18 months time,” he said.
“We will remove the pericardial tissue and jugular vein from the bovine animals that are slaughtered and hand them over to Sri Chitra Thirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology where the heart valves would be made,” said Das.
The central government has in principle approved the project, he said.
Sri Chitra institute was established by an Act of parliament as an autonomous institute. It is under the administrative control of the department of science and technology of central government.
The institute works for the convergence of medical sciences and technology and its mission is to enable the indigenous growth of biomedical technology, besides high standards of patient care.
Das said the project has been cleared by the department of biotechnology and has also got the EU 2000 Norm, a pre-requisite for going ahead with such ventures.
” As per this norm, history of the bovines’ parentage, feeding schedules, health status and vaccination record will have to be maintained,” said Das.