Observations on glutaraldehyde-treated heterologous cardiac valves.

Recent publications on commercial porcine bioprosthetic cardiac valves have stated that the endothelium disappears during the glutaraldehyde processing and that in many cases histological evidence of early tissue deterioration was found. Our experiences have shown that porcine aortic valves can be processed in glutaraldehyde without loss of the integrity of the endothelium and with the development of optimum collagen fibre structure. The valve mounted in a Dacron tube is not restricted in diameter and performs well under biological conditions up to a period of six months.