Onset and progression of calcification in porcine aortic bioprosthetic valves Implanted as orthotopic mitral valve replacements in juvenile sheep

Founder's Award, 25th Annual Meeting of the Society for Biomaterials, perspectives. Providence, RI, April 28-May 2, 1999. Tissue heart valves: current challenges and future research perspectives

Substitute heart valves composed of human or animal tissues have been used since the early 1960s, when aortic valves obtained fresh from human cadavers were transplanted to other individuals as allografts. Today, tissue valves are used in 40% or more of valve replacements worldwide, predominantly as stented porcine aortic valves (PAV) and bovine pericardial valves (BPV) preserved by glutaraldehyde (GLUT) (collectively termed bioprostheses). The principal disadvantage of tissue valves is progressive calcific and noncalcific deterioration, limiting durability. Native heart valves (typified by the aortic valve) are cellular and layered, with regional specializations of the extracellular matrix (ECM). These elements facilitate marked repetitive changes in shape and dimension throughout the cardiac cycle, effective stress transfer to the adjacent aortic wall, and ongoing repair of injury incurred during normal function. Although GLUT bioprostheses mimic natural aortic valve structure (a) their cells are nonviable and thereby incapable of normal turnover or remodeling ECM proteins; (b) their cuspal microstructure is locked into a configuration which is at best characteristic of one phase of the cardiac cycle (usually diastole); and (c) their mechanical properties are markedly different from those of natural aortic valve cusps. Consequently, tissue valves suffer a high rate of progressive and age-dependent structural valve deterioration resulting in stenosis or regurgitation (>50% of PAV overall fail within 10-15 years; the failure rate is nearly 100% in 5 years in those <35 years old but only 10% in 10 years in those >65). Two distinct processes-intrinsic calcification and noncalcific degradation of the ECM-account for structural valve deterioration. Calcification is a direct consequence of the inability of the nonviable cells of the GLUT-preserved tissue to maintain normally low intracellular calcium. Consequently, nucleation of calcium-phosphate crystals occurs at the phospholipid-rich membranes and their remnants. Collagen and elastin also calcify. Tissue valve mineralization has complex host, implant, and mechanical determinants. Noncalcific degradation in the absence of physiological repair mechanisms of the valvular structural matrix is increasingly being appreciated as a critical yet independent mechanism of valve deterioration. These degradation mechanisms are largely rationalized on the basis of the changes to natural valves when they are fabricated into a tissue valve (mentioned above), and the subsequent interactions with the physiologic environment that are induced following implantation. The "Holy Grail" is a nonobstructive, nonthrombogenic tissue valve which will last the lifetime of the patient (and potentially grow in maturing recipients). There is considerable activity in basic research, industrial development, and clinical investigation to improve tissue valves. Particularly exciting in concept, yet early in practice is tissue engineering, a technique in which an anatomically appropriate construct containing cells seeded on a resorbable scaffold is fabricated in vitro, then implanted. Remodeling in vivo, stimulated and guided by appropriate biological signals incorporated into the construct, is intended to recapitulate normal functional architecture.

Evaluation of porcine valves prepared by dye-mediated photooxidation

BACKGROUND

Previous studies demonstrated that dye-mediated photooxidation can stabilize bovine pericardium. Here, photooxidized porcine valve cusp and root tissue were assessed in comparison to fresh and glutaraldehyde-treated samples.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In an in vitro tissue solubility test, both photooxidized and glutaraldehyde-treated tissues were resistant to protein extraction compared to fresh tissue. A rat subcutaneous model was used to test in vivo stability and calcification potential. In this study, four of the six fresh leaflets were not visible because of resorption while both photooxidized and glutaraldehyde-treated tissues were biostable. Mineral contents of the rat explants were much lower for both fresh and photooxidized leaflets when compared with glutaraldehyde-treated leaflets. Also, the aortic root calcified whether treated or not with the most mineral being associated with glutaraldehyde-treated root. Analysis of photooxidized porcine valves explanted from the mitral position in sheep indicated a material that was biostable and contained only minor calcification, perhaps due to deformed stents.

CONCLUSIONS

Porcine valve tissue treated by dye-mediated photooxidation is biostable and resistant to calcification, and has potential for use in heart valve bioprostheses.

Inhibition of aortic wall calcification in bioprosthetic heart valves by ethanol pretreatment: biochemical and biophysical mechanisms

The effectiveness of ethanol pretreatment on preventing calcification of glutaraldehyde-fixed porcine aortic bioprosthetic heart valve (BPHV) cusps was previously demonstrated, and the mechanism of action of ethanol was attributed in part to both lipid removal and a specific collagen conformational change. In the present work, the effect of ethanol pretreatment on BPHV aortic wall calcification was investigated using both rat subdermal and sheep circulatory implants. Ethanol pretreatment significantly inhibited calcification of BPHV aortic wall, but with less than complete inhibition. The maximum inhibition of calcification of BPHV aortic wall was achieved using an 80% ethanol pretreatment; calcium levels were 71.80+/-8.45 microg/mg with 80% ethanol pretreatment compared to the control calcium level of 129.90+/-7.24 microg/mg (p = 0.001). Increasing the duration of ethanol exposure did not significantly improve the inhibitory effect of ethanol on aortic wall calcification. In the sheep circulatory implants, ethanol pretreatment partly prevented BPHV aortic wall calcification with a calcium level of 28.02+/-4.42 microg/mg compared to the control calcium level of 56.35+/-6.14 microg/mg (p = 0.004). Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) studies of ethanol-pretreated BPHV aortic wall (vs. control) demonstrated a significant change in protein structure due to ethanol pretreatment. The water content of the aortic wall tissue and the spin-lattice relaxation times (T1) as assessed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy did not change significantly owing to ethanol pretreatment. The optimum condition of 80% ethanol pretreatment almost completely extracted both phospholipids and cholesterol from the aortic wall; despite this, significant calcification occurred. In conclusion, these results clearly demonstrate that ethanol pretreatment is significantly but only partially effective for inhibition of calcification of BPHV aortic wall and this effect may be due in part to lipid extraction and protein structure changes caused by ethanol. It is hypothesized that ethanol pretreatment may be of benefit for preventing bioprosthetic aortic wall calcification only in synergistic combination with another agent.

Long-term evaluation of orthotopically implanted stentless bioprosthetic aortic valves in juvenile sheep

The aim of this study was to develop a technically feasible and reproducible model for chronic evaluation of stentless bioprosthetic aortic valves implanted orthotopically using juvenile domestic sheep. This report summarizes the results of a study conducted to assess orthotopically placed 19-mm stentless aortic bioprosthetic valves. Twenty-seven juvenile sheep underwent aortic valve replacement. Standard cardiopulmonary bypass techniques were followed. The average cardiopulmonary bypass time was 73 min. No chronic anticoagulation was used. There were two deaths (7%) due to surgical complications. In the remaining 25 experiments, 11 animals (41%) died prior to the scheduled sacrifice on postoperative day 150. One early death occurred due to coccidiomycosis infection, one due to technical error, one due to pulmonary embolus, four due to prosthetic annular size disproportion, and four due to thrombi. The remaining 14 animals (52%) underwent left and right heart catheterization, angiography, echocardiography, and sacrifice after postoperative day 150. The average weight of the sheep at elective sacrifice was 60 kg (mean weight gain 12.5 kg). The average cardiac output for the sacrificed animals was 5.1 L/min. The mean velocity of blood across the aortic valve for the sacrificed animals was 317 cm/s and the mean pressure gradient was 26.2 mm Hg. Two features suggest that this model may have broad application. First, we have demonstrated that it is technically feasible to evaluate orthotopically placed stentless bioprosthetic aortic valves in growing sheep. Second, the aortic root size of the juvenile sheep allows for implantation and evaluation of a human size aortic valve (19 mm). We believe that this model is reproducible and can be used to study stentless valve designs.

Pathology of explanted cryopreserved allograft heart valves: comparison with aortic valves from orthotopic heart transplants

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine the morphology, mechanisms of deterioration, cellular viability, extracellular matrix integrity, and the role of immune responses in the dysfunction of cryopreserved aortic and pulmonic valve allografts.

METHODS

We studied 33 explanted left-sided (n = 20) or right-sided (n = 13) cryopreserved human allograft heart valves explanted several hours to 9 years after operation, 14 nonimplanted allografts, and 16 aortic valves removed from transplanted allograft hearts 2 days to 4 years after operation. Analysis included gross inspection, radiography, light microscopy, electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical studies.

RESULTS

Allografts implanted for more than 1 day had progressive collagen hyalinization and loss of normal structural complexity and cellularity, including endothelium and deep connective tissue cells. Inflammatory cells were generally minimal or absent in the allografts. Transmission electron microscopy of long-term cryopreserved allograft valves revealed no viable cells, focal calcification centered around dead cell remnants, and distorted but preserved collagen. In contrast, aortic valves from transplanted hearts showed remarkable structural preservation, including endothelium and abundant deep connective tissue cells; inflammatory infiltrates were generally mild and of no apparent deleterious consequence, including valves from patients who died of fatal rejection.

CONCLUSIONS

Cryopreserved allografts are morphologically nonviable; their collagen is flattened but largely preserved. They are unlikely to grow, remodel, or exhibit active metabolic functions, and their usual degeneration cannot be attributed to immunologic responses. In contrast, aortic valves of transplanted hearts maintain near-normal overall architecture and cellularity and do not show apparent immunologic injury, even in the setting of fatal myocardial parenchymal rejection or graft arteriosclerosis.

Valved conduit in the descending thoracic aorta in juvenile sheep: a useful, cost-effective model for accelerated calcification study in systemic circulation

To evaluate the efficacy of any new anticalcificant in bioprostheses, a cost-effective and easy circulatory model is proposed. Calcification of 0.625% glutaraldehyde-treated porcine aortic valved conduits implanted in the descending thoracic aorta in 11 juvenile sheep for 5 months was compared with that of leaflets of glutaraldehyde-treated porcine aortic valve implanted subcutaneously in 3-week-old male Wistar rats for the same period. Cusps of valved conduits (Ca, 205.41 +/- 16.24 mg g(-1)) in sheep and aortic valve leaflets in rats (Ca, 235.21 +/- 45.25 mg g(-1)) (P = 0.0299) were severely calcified. Morphological characteristics of calcification of all explants were virtually identical. This model provides a model for testing calcification that lies between the subcutaneous weanling rat model and orthotopic whole valve replacement on the left side of the heart. It is less costly and easier to perform than the latter, but does provide exposure to the bloodstream under pressure, which the rat model does not.

Calcification potential of small intestinal submucosa in a rat subcutaneous model

Glutaraldehyde treatment of collagen biomaterials promotes calcification, poor host-tissue incorporation, and ultimately mechanical failure of bioprotheses. Porcine small-intestinal submucosa (SIS) is a biomaterial which has been investigated for several applications including arterial and venous grafts and repair of tendon, ligament, body wall, and urinary bladder defects. The calcification potential of peracetic acid (PAA)-sterilized SIS was studied. Four test samples, (1) native (cleaned, untreated) SIS, (2) SIS sterilized with 0.1% PAA, (3) SIS treated with 0.25% glutaraldehyde for 20 min, and (4) commercially available glutaraldehyde-preserved porcine bioprosthetic heart valve cusp segments (GPV), were each implanted subcutaneously in each of 24 weanling rats. Six rats were euthanatized at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks. Evaluation of calcium concentration by atomic absorption spectroscopy and extent of mineralization and fibrosis by light microscopy were performed. Atomic absorption revealed no calcification in native or peracetic acid-treated SIS at any time point compared with preimplant calcium concentration. Statistically significant (P < 0.0001) calcification occurred in glutaraldehyde-treated materials (SIS and GPV) at each evaluation as compared to native and peracetic acid-treated samples. Histopathology indicated native and peracetic acid-treated SIS showed no implant mineralization (P < 0.0001) and little peri-implant fibrosis (P < 0.0001). Results suggested that native and peracetic acid-treated SIS have a low calcification potential and further study of this biomaterial is warranted.

Heterogeneous nucleation of calcium phosphates on solid surfaces in aqueous solution

The heterogeneous nucleation of calcium phosphates on solid surfaces of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly-(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) (FEP), silicone rubber, mica, and radiofrequency glow discharge (RFGD)-treated PMMA, FEP, and silicone rubber has been studied in solutions supersaturated with respect to hydroxyapatite. The surface properties of the substrates were characterized by contact angle measurements. For the RFGD-treated surfaces, the Lifshitz-Van der Waals surface tension component changes very little, but the Lewis acid-base surface tension parameters vary greatly depending upon the materials. With scanning electron microscopy, nucleation of calcium phosphates was observed only on the surfaces: mica, RFGD-treated PMMA and FEP, with relatively high values of the Lewis base surface tension parameter. The more hydrophobic surfaces having low Lewis acid-base surface tensions, untreated PMMA and FEP, silicone rubber, and even RFGD-treated silicone rubber showed no nucleation.

Differential calcification of cusps and aortic wall of failed stented porcine bioprosthetic valves

In this study, we examined separately calcification of cusps (C) and associated aortic wall (AW) of 38 (13 aortic and 25 mitral) porcine bioprosthetic heart valves explanted from 37 patients (ages 25-80 years, mean 59) for structural dysfunction, following 54-210 months (mean 125 months aortic, 119 months mitral). Valves were sectioned into C and corresponding AW components; calcification was assessed by atomic absorption spectroscopy for calcium and histologic examination. Overall, AW calcification was half that of C (33.3 +/- 5.4 vs. 65.9 +/- 6.3 microg/mg, mean +/- standard error of the mean respectively, p = 0.002). Correlation of calcification in individual C/AW pairs was weak (r2 = 0.34). Calcification in C was nodular, largely in the valve fibrosa, but AW calcification predominated in the cells between elastic lamellae; large nodules were sparse. We conclude that since AW calcification in these failed porcine valves was neither prominent nor clinically significant, this process should rarely if ever be a limiting factor in the function of stented porcine valves, and that development of anticalcification therapies directed toward the AW of stented valves should be of low priority. However, in stent-free valves, the AW is not covered by prosthetic material, and the level of calcification could be greater and more likely to cause clinical problems through stiffening, embolism, and/or protrusion into the lumen of calcific masses.

Prevention of bioprosthetic heart valve calcification by ethanol preincubation. Efficacy and mechanisms

BACKGROUND

Calcification of the cusps of bioprosthetic heart valves fabricated from either glutaraldehyde cross-linked porcine aortic valves or bovine pericardium frequently causes the clinical failure of these devices. Our investigations studied ethanol pretreatment of glutaraldehyde cross-linked porcine aortic valves as a new approach to prevent cuspal calcification. The hypothesis governing this approach holds that ethanol pretreatment inhibits calcification resulting from protein structural alterations and lipid extraction.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Results demonstrated complete inhibition of calcification of glutaraldehyde-pretreated porcine bioprosthetic aortic valve cusps by 80.0% ethanol in rat subdermal implants (60-day ethanol-pretreated calcium level, 1.87 +/- 0.29 micrograms/mg tissue compared with control calcium level, 236.00 +/- 6.10 micrograms/mg tissue) and in sheep mitral valve replacements (ethanol-pretreated calcium level, 5.22 +/- 2.94 micrograms/mg tissue; control calcium level, 32.50 +/- 11.50 micrograms/mg tissue). The mechanism of ethanol inhibition may be explained by several observations: ethanol pretreatment resulted in an irreversible alteration in the amide I band noted in the infrared spectra for both purified type I collagen and glutaraldehyde cross-linked porcine aortic leaflets. Ethanol pretreatment also resulted in nearly complete extraction of leaflet cholesterol and phospholipid.

CONCLUSIONS

Ethanol pretreatment of glutaraldehyde cross-linked porcine aortic valve bioprostheses represents a highly efficacious and mechanistically based approach and may prevent calcific bioprosthetic heart valve failure.