Analysis of Energy Dissipation Ratio in Commercial Bovine Pericardial Patches Treated with Glutaraldehyde Solution

Background: Energy dissipation reflects the viscoelastic behavior of biological tissues and plays a key role in arterial elastic recoil and diastolic flow support. In the native aorta, efficient storage and release of mechanical energy are essential for maintaining ventriculo-aortic coupling. The energy dissipation ratio (EDR) quantifies the proportion of mechanical energy lost during a loading-unloading cycle and may provide insight into the biomechanical performance of aortic substitutes. Bovine pericardial patches (BPPs) are widely used in cardiovascular surgery for arterial reconstruction, patch angioplasty, and tubular replacement. Today, EDR has not been systematically investigated in BPPs. Methods: Forty glutaraldehyde-treated BPPs from four commercial manufacturers (n = 10 per supplier) were subjected to low-cycle fatigue testing using a uniaxial tensile system under controlled physiological conditions (37 °C). Standardized bone-shaped specimens were tested at progressive strain percentage levels. Thickness, EDR, and the percentage of specimens failing to reach progressively higher strain levels were evaluated from stress-strain hysteresis loops. Results: BPPs thickness ranged from 0.253 to 0.608 mm, with no significant differences among most groups. For the 10% strain, all BPPs reached the target deformation and demonstrated comparable EDR values. In detail, the mean EDR was 21.40 ± 7.02% for Edwards Lifesciences, 24.95 ± 6.80% for Supple Peri-Guard (Baxter), 24.99 ± 6.04% for Xenosure (LeMaitre), and 23.37 ± 6.12% for Invengenx-Tisgenx, with no statistically significant intergroup differences (p > 0.05). For the 20% strain, only 18.75% of specimens remained structurally intact, and variability increased. At 30% strain, structural failure occurred in nearly all samples. No significant orientation-dependent differences were observed. Conclusions: Commercially available BPPs exhibit similar biomechanical behavior under moderate deformation. However, tolerance to higher strain is limited. EDR analysis provides a clinically relevant parameter to assess elastic performance and may contribute to optimizing aortic substitute selection.