The aim of this study was to perform an initial assessment, in vitro, of the feasibility of using a glutaraldehyde cross-linked porcine mitral valve to retain acute functionality, focusing on assessing mitral regurgitation. Six porcine hearts were tested using an in vitro simulator. Testing was repeated following cross-linking of mitral valves; where cross-linking was achieved by placing them in a glutaraldehyde solution. The simulator enabled systolic pressure on the ventricular side of the valve to be mimicked. Following testing, mitral valve leaflets underwent Scanning Electron Microscopy of the ventricular surface of both the anterior and posterior leaflets (1 cm² samples). The peak pressure withstood by cross-linked valves was significantly lower than for untreated valves (108 mmHg cf. 128 mmHg for untreated valves; p < 0.05). The peak pressure was typically reached 0.5 s later than for the untreated valve. While both cross-linked and untreated valves exhibited endothelium denudation, the unfixed valve had less endothelial loss. Glutaraldehyde cross-linking of porcine mitral valves may be of potential value in assessing improved bioprosthetic mitral valve replacements. However, a more immobile valve exhibiting endothelial denudation (i.e. sclerosis) was a possible concerns identified following in vitro acute assessment.

本研究的目的是在体外对使用戊二醛交联的猪二尖瓣保留急性功能的可行性进行初步评估，重点是评估二尖瓣关闭不全。使用体外模拟器测试了六颗猪心脏。二尖瓣交联后重复测试；其中交联是通过将它们置于戊二醛溶液中来实现的。模拟器能够模拟瓣膜心室侧的收缩压。测试后，二尖瓣小叶接受了前叶和后叶 (1 cm ²样品）。交联阀门承受的峰值压力显着低于未处理阀门（108 mmHg，未处理阀门为 128 mmHg；p < 0.05）。峰值压力通常比未处理的阀门晚 0.5 秒。虽然交联瓣膜和未经处理的瓣膜均表现出内皮剥脱，但未固定瓣膜的内皮损失较少。猪二尖瓣的戊二醛交联在评估改进的生物人工二尖瓣置换术方面可能具有潜在价值。然而，表现出内皮剥脱（即硬化）的更不动的瓣膜是在体外急性评估之后确定的可能的问题。