Improved endothelial viability of heart valves cryopreserved by a new technique

The aim of this study was to compare different techniques of aortic valve cryopreservation by studying the viability of the endothelial cells. Viability was assessed by measuring their in vitro prostacyclin (PGI2) production under basal and stimulated conditions. Fresh and cryopreserved porcine valves were incubated at 37 degrees C in tissue culture medium and PGI2 content in the medium was measured every 15 min up to 300 min. Cryopreservation by the older procedure A included 5% fetal calf serum (FCS) in the preservation medium, a plastic box inside a freezing plastic bag, a cooling schedule approximating -2 degrees C/min, a long thawing time and few dilution steps of the cryoprotectant dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO). The newer procedure B differed from A in packaging, freezing and thawing rates and DMSO dilution. Procedure C was similar to B with the exception that FCS was omitted. Leaflets preserved by procedure A produced significantly less prostacyclin as compared to those treated according to procedures B or C. We conclude that minor differences in the cryopreservation method can become critical to endothelial functional viability.