Structural, ultrastructural and functional studies of human cardiac valve allografts that suffered an increment of the cryostorage temperature.

Human cardiac valve allografts (HVAs) suffer injuries during the cryopreservation period. Here, we described structural, ultrastructural and functional damages suffered by HVAs after an increment of their cryostorage temperature (100 degree C). Two experimental groups of pulmonary and aortic HVAs were compared: cryopreserved (HVAcryo) and cryopreserved with temperature changes (HVAΔT).

Morphological and biochemical analysis of human cardiac valve allografts after an increment of the cryostorage temperature.

Cryopreserved human cardiac valve allografts could suffer lethal damages if the temperature is elevated during cryostorage. This work describes the functional and morphological alterations suffered by human cardiac valve allografts after a gradual increment of the cryostorage temperature from -147 degrees C to -47 degrees C due to a technical failure. Three experimental groups of human pulmonary and aortic allografts were compared: fresh, cryopreserved (-147 degrees C) and cryopreserved with temperature changes from -147 degrees C up to -47 degrees C and back to -147 degrees C.