title: Biomechanics of glutaraldehyde-treated porcine aortic roots and valves. An investigation of the effect of predilation of the elastic aortic root.
abstract: The biomechanics and function of fresh porcine aortic roots and valves have been compared with those of glutaraldehyde-treated roots prepared in a conventional manner without dilation of the elastic aortic root and with glutaraldehyde-treated roots prepared with permanent predilation during fixation. The glutaraldehyde-treated aortic walls were significantly less extensible than fresh walls, with a mean dilation of only 6% compared with 45% for the fresh root at 120 mm Hg pressure. Permanent predilation of the aortic root during fixation allowed the total dilation of the fixed root to be increased to 19% at 120 mm Hg pressure. The effective orifice area of the fresh root and valve was significantly greater than those of the fixed roots and valves, with permanent predilation fixation producing a significantly greater orifice area than conventional fixation. The open-leaflet bending deformations were found to be lower in the valves fixed after permanent predilation than in the standard fixed valves. The glutaraldehyde-treated porcine root and valve does not reproduce the biomechanics and function of the fresh/root, because of the reduced extensibility of the fixed aortic wall. Permanent predilation during fixation helps to partially overcome the shortcomings of the fixed root, producing better function than a standard fixed valve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lockie
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Juster
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watterson
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000502:physiology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001705:Bioprosthesis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004106:Dilatation; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011673:Pulsatile Flow