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Updated: Jan 28, 2026

Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement from Autologous Pericardium with a Self-Expandable Nitinol Stent in an Adult Sheep Model
Published on: June 8, 2022
Mechanical Properties of Autologous Pericardium Change With Fixation Time: Implications for Valve Reconstruction
Sophie C Hofferberth1, Christopher W Baird1, David M Hoganson1
1Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Abstract:
Autologous pericardium, fixed in glutaraldehyde, is a common patch material used in heart valve reconstruction. Competence of a reconstructed valve depends on patch dimensions and also on how much the patch deforms when the closed valve is pressurized. In this study, we used biaxial testing to evaluate the deformability of fixed autologous pericardium, and several commercial alternatives, under typical cardiac loads. We found that deformability of fixed autologous pericardium varies predictably with fixation time. This information can be used by surgeons in designing patches for valve repair.
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