The correlation between improved cellular viability and clinical performance in 5,000 cryopreserved human heart valves.

This study analyzes the 5 year, clinical performance of 5,000 recorded implants of cryopreserved human heart valves. Successive changes in the processing methods have increased cell viability to 88% of control data. Data show that increased cell viability correlates with improved clinical performance. The 79 reported removals at 5 years gave an actuarial survival estimate for all reoperations and complications of 97%.