Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Calcification and fatigue failure in a polyurethane heart value

G M Bernacca1, T G Mackay, R Wilkinson

  • 1University Department of Cardiac Surgery, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.

Biomaterials
|March 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Polyurethane heart valves showed slower calcification than bioprosthetic valves in vitro. Material failure regions and polyether soft segments were implicated in the calcification process, with extractables accelerating it.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Mathematical representation and nonlinear modelling of the Wheatley mitral valve.

Medical engineering & physics·2025
Same author

Regularization of a Mathematical Model of the Wheatley Heart Valve.

Journal of biomechanical engineering·2022
Same author

A Mathematical Representation of the Wheatley Heart Valve.

Journal of biomechanical engineering·2021
Same author

Percutaneous heart valves; past, present and future.

Perfusion·2014
Same author

Effect of bending rigidity in a dynamic model of a polyurethane prosthetic mitral valve.

Biomechanics and modeling in mechanobiology·2011
Same author

Microvascular preconditioning is not detectable by corrosion casting in the isolated perfused rat heart after 30 minutes of ischaemia.

Scandinavian cardiovascular journal : SCJ·2008

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Cardiovascular Engineering

Background:

  • Bioprosthetic heart valves are prone to calcification, limiting their lifespan.
  • Polyurethanes are explored as alternative materials for prosthetic heart valves due to their tunable properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the calcification rate and mechanisms of polyurethane-based prosthetic heart valves in a dynamic in vitro system.
  • To compare the calcification resistance of these polyurethane valves against traditional bioprosthetic valves.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of prosthetic heart valves from a specific polyurethane formulation (4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate hard segment, butanediol chain-extender, polyether soft segment).
  • Dynamic in vitro testing system to simulate physiological conditions and assess calcification.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to analyze the chemical composition of calcified deposits.
  • Fractionation of the polymer to investigate the role of extractable components.

    • Main Results:

    • Polyurethane heart valves exhibited a significantly slower rate of calcification compared to bioprosthetic heart valves under dynamic in vitro conditions.
    • Calcified deposits were predominantly found at sites of material failure.
    • FTIR analysis revealed direct involvement of the polyether soft segments in the calcification process.
    • Calcification studies on polymer fractions indicated that low molecular weight extractable components act as accelerators for calcification.

    Conclusions:

    • Polyurethane-based prosthetic heart valves demonstrate improved resistance to calcification in vitro compared to bioprosthetic valves.
    • Material degradation and the polyether soft segment are key factors in the calcification of these polyurethane valves.
    • The presence of small molecular weight extractables can accelerate the calcification process, suggesting purification or stabilization strategies may enhance valve longevity.