Prevention of Calcification in Glutaraldehyde-Treated Porcine Aortic and Pulmonary Valves

Background. The problem of calcification in porcine aortic (AVs) and pulmonary (PVs) valves and its relationship to glutaraldehyde (GA) is of current interest. We proposed an anticalcification treatment to develop noncalcifying porcine AVs and PVs. Methods. Porcine AVs and PVs were cross-linked in GA. Partially degraded heparin was coupled to the GA-treated AVs and PVs through intermediate surface-bound substrate containing amino groups. Control AVs and PVs were cross-linked in 0.625% GA but had no heparin coupling. All specimens were implanted subdermally in 3-week-old rats for 5 months for calcification studies. Results. Control AVs (Ca, 233.69 ± 42.61 mg/g) and PVs (Ca, 181.48 ± 4.06 mg/g) were severely calcified. Coupling of partially degraded heparin revealed complete prevention of calcification in GA-treated AVs (Ca, 0.73 ± 0.27) and PVs (Ca, 1.125 ± 0.22 mg/g) implanted subcutaneously in weanling rats for 5 months. Conclusions. The proposed anticalcification treatment is effective in preventing calcification of GA-treated AVs and PVs implanted subcutaneously in weanling rats for 5 months.