Cryopreserved and fresh valved aortic homograft conduits in a chronic sheep model: Haemodynamic, angiographic and histological comparisons

Abstract

In 1949, Gross (1) demonstrated that simple freezing to — 72 °C of the canine aortic homograft, followed by subsequent implantation, resulted in a high rate of failure due to aneurysm and rupture. Since that time there have been major advances in preservation methods. We thought that it was important to repeat the large animal experimental model studies performed by Gross in order to compare storage of aortic homografts using current techniques of cryopreservation relative to simple storage in a nutrient medium at 4 °C.