BACKGROUND: Various experimental trials for the development of bioprosthetic
devices are actively underway,
secondary to the limited
supply of autologous and
homograft tissue to treat
cardiac diseases . In this study, porcine
bioprostheses that were treated with
glutaraldehyde (GA),
ethanol , or
sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) were examined with
light microscopy and
transmission electron microscopy for mechanical and physical imperfections before implantation. MATERIAL AND
METHOD: 1) Porcine
pericardium ,
aortic valve , and
pulmonary valve were examined using
light microscopy and JEM-100CX II
transmission electron microscopy , then compared with
human pericardium and commercially produced
heterografts . 2) Sections from six treated groups (GA-
Ethanol ,
Ethanol -GA, SDS only, SDS-GA,
Ethanol -SDS-GA and SDS-
Ethanol -GA) were observed using the same
methods .
RESULT: 1) Porcine
pericardium was composed of a serosal layer, fibrosa, and epicardial
connective tissue .
Treatment with GA,
ethanol , or SDS had little influence on the
collagen skeleton of porcine
pericardium , except in the case of SDS pre-
treatment . There was no alteration in the
collagen skeleton of the porcine
pericardium compared to commercially produced
heterografts . 2) Porcine
aortic valve was composed of lamina fibrosa, lamina spongiosa, and lamina ventricularis.
Treatment with GA,
ethanol , or SDS had little influence on these three layers and the
collagen skeleton of porcine
aortic valve , except in the case of SDS pre-
treatment . There were no alterations in the three layers or the
collagen skeleton of porcine
aortic valve compared to commercially produced
heterografts .
CONCLUSION: There was little physical and mechanical damage incurred in porcine
bioprosthesis structures during various
glutaraldehyde fixation processes combined with anti-calcification or decellularization
treatments . However, SDS
treatment preceding GA fixation changed the
collagen fibers into a slightly condensed form, which degraded during
transmission electron micrograph. The optimal
methods and conditions for
sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)
treatment need to be modified.