ECM Device Receives CE Mark for Cardiac Tissue Repair

July 16, 2010 – A new extracellular matrix (ECM) biomaterial device recently received a CE mark, meaning it can now be marketed in European Union countries. The CorMatrix ECM for Cardiac Tissue Repair from CorMatrix Cardiovascular harnesses the body’s innate ability to repair damaged cardiovascular tissue.

CorMatrix’s ECM for Cardiac Tissue Repair is used to repair heart structures during open heart surgery – such as closing a hole in the heart known as atrial septal defect (ASD). During surgery, CorMatrix ECM is sutured onto the heart tissue in need of repair. It then serves as a scaffold, enabling the body’s own cells to infiltrate and ultimately replace the implanted ECM with native tissue. The anatomy is restored naturally through the course of the body’s innate wound-healing process. It differs from other available surgical materials, as CorMatrix ECM allows for repair of damaged tissue without leaving permanent synthetic or foreign materials in the body, which can result in unwanted effects.

CorMatrix ECM Technology has been commercially available in the United States since 2006 and has been implanted in nearly 20,000 cardiac surgery procedures at more than 300 hospitals in the United States.