BACKGROUND The pericardial tissue is commonly used to produce bio-prosthetic cardiac valves and patches in cardiac surgery. The procedures adopted to prepare this tissue consist in treatment with aldehydes, which do not prevent post-graft tissue calcification due to incomplete xeno-antigens removal. The adoption of fixative-free decellularization protocols has been therefore suggested to overco...

Despite the fact that cartilage, cortical bone and corneal homograft tissue is still widely used in South Africa and that there has never been a reported case of human immunodeficiency virus or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease infection transmission via this route, otolaryngologists are still reluctant to use homograft ossicles. In third world countries, such as South Africa, where ossicular prosthese...

Since the first successful sub-coronary insertion (Ross 1962), the homograft aortic valve has been the favourite amongst many rypes of mechanicai or biological cardiac vaive repiacements ar the National Heart Hospital. Recent srudies on long rerm patient survivai afrer homograft insertion have reveaied excelient results (Bodnar er ai 1979), surpassed oniy by the autotranspianted puimonary valve...

BACKGROUND The Ross operation has several theoretical advantages. However, concern exists regarding evolving pathology in the pulmonary homograft. METHODS AND RESULTS Consecutive patients (n=144; mean age 31 years, range 2 months to 64 years) undergoing the Ross operation were studied between 1993 and 2000. Echocardiographic examination of the pulmonary homograft was performed immediately aft...

A 31-year old woman with tricuspid atresia, after Bjork Fontan modification and reoperation due to homograft narrowing, was evaluated because of progressive exercise intolerance; she was planning a pregnancy. The right atrium (RA) to right ventricle (RV) homograft narrowing and calcification with significant reversal flow were found. Successful reoperation was performed-calcified conduit was ex...

BACKGROUND Homograft valves have been shown to be immunogenic, but it is unknown whether this affects valve function. Therefore, we prospectively studied the degree of histoincompatibility (defined as the number of human leukocyte antigen [HLA] mismatches between valve donor and recipient) and the response of the recipient (measured by antibodies against HLA) in relation to echocardiographic pa...

Background—Homograft valves have been shown to be immunogenic, but it is unknown whether this affects valve function. Therefore, we prospectively studied the degree of histoincompatibility (defined as the number of human leukocyte antigen [HLA] mismatches between valve donor and recipient) and the response of the recipient (measured by antibodies against HLA) in relation to echocardiographic pa...

Phonocardiographic, hemodynamic, angiographic, and cardiac echographic studies have been performed on 11 patients whose diseased mitral valves have been replaced by a supported aortic valve homograft. The chordae tendineae and papillary muscles were removed in all patients during the operation. Apical first heart sounds of normal intensity were present in all patients after surgery. Nine patien...