Assessment of incompetence in canine aortic and pulmonary valve grafts and comparison of some methods of valve preservation.

A new method has been devised to assess the competence of the canine aortic valves, before implantation. This method would provide a better selection of aortic valves before their insertion and may reduce the incidence of postoperative incompetency. Comparison of canine pulmonary and aortic valve function, at various pressures, revealed that the pulmonary valves were regurgitant at higher pressures, in comparison to aortic valves. Formalin preserved valves were found to be significantly regurgitant.