The effects of sterilization and storage treatments on the stress-strain behavior of aortic valve leaflets.

An investigation was made of the feasibility of using tensile tests to detect alterations in the molecular structure of aortic valve tissue brought about by sterilizing or storage treatments. Stress-strain tests were carried out on fresh valve leaflets from pigs and repeated with the same specimens after specified sterilization or storage treatments. It was found that the stress at a given strain was increased by treatment with ethylene oxide, buffered formalin, and tissue culture solution and decreased by treatment with antibiotics. The least change was with tissue culture solution and antibiotics. It has been suggested that the best method of allograft sterilization should involve minimal structural alteration to the collagen and elastic components of the tissue. Thus, treatment with tissue culture solution and antibiotics seems appropriate.