Impact on porcine heart valve tissue treating with carbodiimide

Objectives: There are many treatment protocols used these days, but seems like no one ensures a hundred percent effectiveness for lifelong prosthesis function. The aim of the study was to investigate whether some new method could mitigate calcification better than usually used and to compare impact on different valve tissues.

Methods: Porcine aortic and mitral valve cusps were treated with glutaraldehyde and carbodiimide. Control group without any treatment was also used. Cusp pieces were implanted subcutaneously into 90 rats for 60 days. Tissue calcification was assessed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Results: The most calcification was found when not used any treatment, and the lowest calcium level was in group when treated with carbodiimide. Glutaraldehyde in low concentration lowered significantly residual calcium level, but not so effectively as carbodiimide. All data differ statistically significantly (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Calcification was minimal treating porcine valve tissue with carbodiimide comparing to glutaraldehyde or no treatment.