Calcification and fatigue failure in a polyurethane heart value.

The prosthetic heart valves were fabricated from a polyurethane containing a 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate hard segment, chain-extended with butanediol and with a polyether soft segment. The rate of calcification of these polyurethane heart valves was much slower in a dynamic in vitro test system than similar bioprosthetic heart valves. The calcified deposits were located exclusively at regions of material failure. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated the involvement of the polyether soft segments of the polymer directly in the calcification process. Calcification of polymer fractions also suggested that small molecular weight extractable components are accelerating factors in the calcification process.