[Glutaraldehyde residues in heart valve prostheses]

Bioprosthetic heart valves prepared from glutaraldehyde-pretreated bovine pericardium are used to replace diseased human cardiac valves. Mineralisation in the course of time and toxic effects are possibly caused by glutaraldehyde residues. Different washing methods carried out before transplantation are compared with regard to the different ability of glutaraldehyde extraction.