The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 28, 274-280, Copyright © 1979 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Dynamic behavior of prosthetic aortic tissue valves as viewed by high- speed cinematography
WG Rainer, RA Christopher, TR Sadler Jr and AD Hilgenberg
Using a valve testing apparatus of our own design and with a high-speed
(600 to 800 frames per second) 16 mm movie camera, films were made of
Hancock porcine, Carpentier-Edwards porcine, and Ionescu-Shiley bovine
pericardial valves mounted in the aortic position and cycled under
physiological conditions at 72 to 100 beats per minute. Fresh and explanted
valves were observed using saline or 36.5% glycerol as the pumping
solution. When fresh valves were studied using saline solution as the
pumpint fluid, the Hancock and Carpentier-Edwards porcine valves showed
high-frequency leaflet vibration, which increased in frequency with higher
cycling rates. Abnormal leaflet motion was decreased when glycerol was used
as the blood analogue. The Ionescu-Shiley bovine pericardial valve did not
show abnormal leaflet motion under these conditions. Conclusions drawn from
tissue valve testing studies that use excessively high pulsing rates and
pressures (accelerated testing) and saline or water as pumping solutions
cannot be transposed to predict the fate of tissue valves in a clinical
setting.
