Storage and Function of the Canine Aortic Valve Homograft

Persistent complications result relative to the mechanical nature of cardiac valve replacements. The most successful alternative presently available is the aortic valve homograft. In each of the several centers using homografts, a different method of preparation and storage is used.^1-5 A series of experiments was designed to compare some of these techniques with the fresh aortic valve homograft. To the authors' knowledge this represents the only published series of canine whole-valve homografts transplanted into the subcoronary position.

Valve Procurement  Donor dogs were anesthetized with sodium methohexital (Brevital Sodium), 5 mg/kg, and exsanguinated from the left carotid artery, the blood being subsequently used for cardiopulmonary bypass. The right chest was then prepared and draped and the heart removed under sterile conditions within an hour of death. The aortic valve was dissected from surrounding tissue and the aorta trimmed to within 3 mm of the valve annulus. All myocardial and fibrous