Tissue Buckling as a Mechanism of Bioprosthetic Valve Failure

Current reports indicate that collagen fiber disruption resulting from cyclic leaflet bending is a factor determining long-term durability of bioprosthetic heart valves. Examination of the opening characteristics of porcine xenografts has shown two areas of high bending curvature that correlate well with sites of leaflet tearing. These are at the free edge and near the attachment of the leaflets to the aortic root. To determine the potential …