A new bioprosthetic cardiac valve with reduced calcification

A bioprosthetic cardiac valve cross-linked with a glycerol polyglycidyl ether polyepoxy compound (PC) was developed in order to reduce calcification and degeneration, which often occurs in bioprosthetic cardiac valves. Aortic valves harvested from dogs were treated with PC (PC valve). Right ventricle (RV)-pulmonary artery (PA) bypasses were placed in 12 dogs with PC-valved conduits, and the main PA was ligated. X-ray right ventriculography at 36 days (1 dog) and 37 days (1 dog) revealed an excellent open/close performance of the PC valve, and there was no visible thrombus in the valve. In our basic study, PC treated collagen gel disks implanted in the subcutaneous layer of growing rats showed remarkably less calcium deposition than did those treated with glutaraldehyde (GA). Biologic materials cross-linked with PC maintain their pliability, and become more hydrophilic and more hydrated than those cross-linked with GA. The hydrophilicity and hydration provide sufficient antithrombogenicity and a suitable environment for metabolism in the tissue fluid which contains oxygen, nutritive substances, and electrolytes, leading to inhibition of material degeneration. Therefore, PC valves are expected to show good valve function, sufficient antithrombogenicity, and excellent durability with less calcification, when compared to GA treated valves.