Viability and histologic structure of porcine valves after cryopreservation

Increased awareness of the limitations of current cardiac valve substitutes has generated a renewed interest in the use of allograft valves. The effects of currently used preservation techniques on the viability of the valve leaflets and the longevity of the implantation however remain controversial. The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of ischemic time, sterilization methods with or without fungicides, and storage procedures on the viability of the valve leaflets and on the histologic structure of the arterial wall, valve leaflet, and myocardium.

The tissue sources were hearts from 40 pigs with 1 hour of warm ischemic time. The aortic and pulmonary valves were dissected after 2 or 24 hours of cold ischemic time. They were stored in antibiotic solution for 20 hours at 4 degrees C with or without an antifungal agent. The samples were cryopreserved using a programmed temperature decrease method. After 1 week of storage in a liquid nitrogen tank, either in a gas or a liquid phase, the cardiac valves were slowly thawed and examined.

Pulmonary valves showed greater viability than aortic valves. Decreased cellular viability was observed independent of cold ischemic time, treatment with amphotericin B, or the storage method used. Treatment with or without amphotericin B had no influence on cellular viability. Conversely it was observed that there was greater cellular viability among those valves stored in a liquid phase. As far as the histologic structure of the valve is concerned we did not observe any influence either in the treatment with amphotericin B or the storage method used although it was observed that reduction of the cold ischemic time minimized histologic injury.

Optimization of preservation methods may decrease the negative effects of cryopreservation on cell viability and histologic structure of the valve.