Universite Paris Descartes (UPD)

Clinical Centre, WP Leader WP5 Dissemination and Exploitation

The Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades Paris is a French teaching hospital, located in Paris under the auspices of the University of Paris Descartes V. A major characteristic of Necker is the exceptional interconnection between the 22 research units at work on its site. Because of its reputation for excellence in patient care, research and leading edge technologies, a large number of patients suffering from rare or genetic diseases are sent to Necker from all over France, for example for pediatric cardiac surgery and transplantations.  

The University Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery treats 800 pediatric cases per year and avails of extensive experience in neonatal and pediatric cardiac surgery, providing an ideal background for participation in ESPOIR. UPD will contribute as a member of the ESPOIR clinical network and will implant 25 DHV for pulmonary valve replacement within the clinical trial and procure homografts via domino transplantation. Furthermore, Professor Vouhé will head up Work Package 5 for Dissemination and Exploitation.  

Professor Vouhé is a leading figure in Europe in the field of surgery for congenital heart disease. He is the author / co-author of several hundred papers over the past three decades. Interests include all aspects of pediatric cardiac surgery with specific interest in arterial switch operation. Another interest is the potential benefits of the technique of normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass and therefore increased myocardial protection. Professor Vouhé is Associate Editor of the European Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery and of the Multimedia Manual of Cardiothoracic Surgery. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery and of the Journal of Heart Valve Disease and is a member of the Steering Committee for the World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery. In these functions and as former President of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Professor Vouhé is therefore ideally networked to promote the ESPOIR project via a number of high-impact dissemination routes. 

Contributors to ESPOIR 

Prof. Pascal Vouhé, Head of Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery        
Prof. Olivier Raisky, Professor of Surgery