Glutaraldehyde-preserved heterologous pericardium for the repair of diaphragmatic defects: experimental study

Glutaraldehyde-treated porcine and bovine pericardium was used to close diaphragmatic defects in 15 dogs. The animals were reoperated upon between 15 days and 15 months. There were no adherences between the heterologous patch and the adjacent structures in any dogs except one, in which the omentum was attached to the pericardium. Microscopically, the graft structure remained intact without cellular invasion. The graft was covered with a thin layer of fibrous tissue, more intense in the one case of omental adhesions. There were no macroscopic or microscopic differences detectable in the behavior of the bovine and porcine pericardium. Although the follow-up is relatively short, these materials appear to offer a valid nonadherent alternative for diaphragmatic repair.