PLATELET ADHESION TO NATIVE AND TREATED BIOPROSTHETIC HEART VALVES PART I: STATIC TEST TO STUDY INFLUENCE OF GLUTARALDEHYDE FIXATION AND EXPOSURE TIMES.

A low incidence of thromboembolism without long-term anticoagulant therapy has made bioprosthesis a popular choice of heart valve replacement. However, the major limitation of bioprostheses is their propensity for clinically observed Ca** plus ** plus formation and associated thrombogenecity, which also influences their haemodynamic performance and eventually leads to valvular dysfunction. In spite of that, no in vitro study has been conducted …