Comparison of Two Laboratory Methods of Preservation for Preclinical Preparation of Bovine Aortic Heart Valve Suitable for Human Use.

The present experimental study was carried out as an experimental study in the department of Cardiac Surgery at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh from July 2011 to May 2013 to see which preservation techniques give us morphologically and histologically suitable xenograft heart valve for clinical use. We reviewed 20 bovine aortic valves in 2 years. Each of 10 samples was grouped as glutaraldehyde (1.5%) preservation and cryopreservation (-180°C). After collecting each specimen, sterilization of valve was done in low concentration of sterile antibiotic solution (CLPVA). Then 10 dissected valves were immersed each in 250ml of 1.5% glutaraldehyde solution at 4°C. Another 10 dissected valves were placed in a solution of 100ml 10% DMSO and suspended in vapor phase of liquid nitrogen at -180°C. Then after 4 weeks, the valves were examined for naked eye (color change, shrinkage, swelling, pliability, stiffness of leaflet) and histological (endothelial cells, leaflet extracellular matrix preservation, fibroblast preservation, inflammation, necrosis and other pathological conditions on valve leaflet) examination. Statistical analysis showed that morphological changes were not significant in both groups but in histological examination, cryopreservation showed effective preservation of fibroblast and extracellular matrix than glutaraldehyde preservation.