Durante a triagem do pericárdio bovino, utilizado em válvulas cardíacas artificiais, procura-se determinar a direção das fibras de colágeno e identificar regiões mais homogêneas. Estas características influenciam o comportamento mecânico e a durabilidade destas válvulas. Neste contexto, a tomografia de impedância elétrica (TIE) poderia ser utilizada como ferramenta para avaliar o pericárdio, a partir da estimação da direção média das fibras e da identificação das regiões mais homogêneas. O objetivo deste trabalho é investigar a possibilidade de utilização da técnica de TIE para análise e seleção de pericárdios, melhorando os critérios de seleção deste tecido. Com este propósito, foi desenvolvido um reservatório, para acondicionamento do pericárdio e coleta de dados, e implementado um algoritmo de Gauss-Newton para estimar a distribuição de resistividade no tecido. Para regularização do problema inverso mal-posto foi desenvolvido e utilizado um prior baseado em amostras. E para avaliar o desempenho do reservatório e do algoritmo de imagem, fantomas e testes in vitro foram realizados. Detectou-se um furo de 2.0 mm de raio provocado no tecido. Portanto, os experimentos mostraram que é possível detectar imperfeições no pericárdio utilizando a técnica de TIE. No entanto, a necessidade de aperfeiçoamento dos eletrodos, fonte de corrente, reservatório e algoritmo (malhas e priors) esta clara se o objetivo final for a seleção de pericárdios para válvulas cardíaca artificiais. / During the selection of bovine pericardium for use in artificial heart valves, one of the goals is to determine the direction of the collagen fibers and to identify more homogeneous regions. These characteristics influence the mechanical behavior and the durability of these valves. In this context, the electrical impedance tomography (EIT) could be employed as a tool to evaluate the pericardium, from the estimation of the mean fiber direction and the identification of homogeneous regions. The objective of this work is to investigate the possibility of using EIT technique for analysis and selection of pericardium, improving the selection criteria of this tissue. With this purpose in mind, it was developed a test bench, to accommodate the pericardium and to collect data, and it was implemented a Gauss-Newton based algorithm to estimate the resistivity distribution map of this tissue. For regularizing this ill-posed problem, it was developed and applied a priormodels sample-based. And for quality evaluation of the test bench and of the image algorithm, phantom experiments and in vitro tests were performed. It was detected a hole of 2.0 mm radius at the tissue. Therefore, the experiments showed that it is possible to detect defects on pericardium using EIT technique. However, the need of improvements on electrodes, current source, test bench and algorithm (meshes and priors) is clear if the final aim is the selection of pericardium for artificial heart valves.

Introdução: a necrose da gordura epipericárdica é uma entidade caracterizada por dor torácica súbita de forte intensidade e ventilatório-dependente em indivíduos previamente hígidos, com menos de 50 casos descritos na literatura. O achado característico na tomografia computadorizada de tórax é de uma lesão arredondada com atenuação de gordura e graus variáveis de densificação dos planos adiposos adjacentes localizada na gordura epipericárdica. O tratamento é sintomático com analgésicos e as alterações radiológicas tendem a regredir em poucas semanas. O aumento do número de casos, nos últimos anos, sugere que a entidade possa ser subdiagnosticada. O objetivo do estudo foi estimar a frequência da necrose numa população e comparar dados clínicos e laboratoriais com um grupo controle. Material e Métodos: 7463 tomografias computadorizadas de tórax realizadas no pronto atendimento de um hospital quaternário, de julho de 2011 a dezembro de 2014 foram avaliadas por um radiologista na busca de imagens compatíveis com necrose da gordura epipericárdica. Vinte pacientes foram selecionados e comparados com um grupo controle pareado por idade e sexo, numa proporção de 1:5 pacientes com dor torácica atípica, que também realizaram tomografia computadorizada de tórax neste período. Os dados clínicos e laboratoriais foram comparados por meio de modelos de regressão linear e os aspectos de imagem e os relatórios das tomografias dos pacientes com a necrose foram avaliados individualmente. A frequência da NGE nos pacientes que realizaram tomografia computadorizada de tórax no pronto atendimento por dor torácica foi estimada. O estudo obteve aprovação do Comitê de Ética. Resultados: a média de idade dos pacientes com a necrose foi 42 ± 13 anos e, desses, 25% mulheres (5 pacientes). A necrose esteve presente em 2.15% dos indivíduos que realizaram tomografia de tórax por dor torácica e em 0.26% de todos os pacientes que realizaram tomografia de tórax no pronto atendimento. A lesão é mais frequente do lado esquerdo (p = 0.01, IC = 0.56-0.94) e está associada à derrame pleural ipsilateral (p=0.01, IC 0.36-0.80) e atelectasia (p=0.01, IC 0.58-0.99) (p=0.01, IC 0.36-0.80). No contexto de dor torácica não coronariana, a necrose tem maior probabilidade de ocorrer na ausência de outros sintomas (p=0.005, IC -5.83, -1.27) e com o não uso de medicamentos (p= 0.01 e IC-3.33, -0.40). A análise dos relatórios das tomografias de tórax mostrou um aumento nas taxas de diagnóstico ao longo dos anos. Conclusão: pacientes com dor torácica atípica que não fazem uso de medicamentos e não possuem outros sintomas associados na ocasião do atendimento exibem maior probabilidade de apresentar necrose da gordura epipericárdica. A incidência da necrose na população estudada foi de 2.15%. O conhecimento da entidade contribui para a melhora da taxa de diagnóstico / Introduction: Epipericardial fat necrosis is characteryzed by an acute onset of pleuritic chest pain in previously healthy patients. There are less than 50 cases described in english literature. The diagnosis is made by chest tomography and the deffinitive finding is a small ovoid fat attenuation lesion with mild to moderate surrounding strandings inside the epipericardial fat. The treatment is symptomatic, by relieving the symptoms with analgesics, and the radiological findings tend to disappear in a few weeks. There is an important raise of the diagnosis in the last years, what suggests that epipericardial fat necrosis is probably underdiagnosed. The objective of the study is to estimate the frequency of the necrosis in a group of patients and to compare clinical and laboratorial data with a control group. Material and Methods: The Ethics Committee approved this study. The 7463 chest tomography were performed in the emergency department of a quaternary hospital from July 2011 to December 2014. One radiologist read the images of all chest tomography and sought for image findings compatible with epipericardial fat necrosis. Twenty patients were diagnosed with epipericardial fat necrosis and compared with a control group paired by age and sex. The control group consisted of 100 patients with non-coronary chest pain who performed a chest tomography in the same period. The clinical and laboratorial data were compared using linear regression models. The imaging findings and the radiology reports were evaluated. The frequency of epipericardial fat necrosis in this group of patients was estimated. Results: The mean age of the necrosis group was 42 ± 13 years (25% women). Epipericardial fat necrosis was present in 2.15% of the patients who performed a chest tomography because of chest pain and in 0.26% of all patients that performed a chest tomography for any reason in the emergency department in the period. Epipericardial fat necrosis is more frequent in the left side (p = 0.01, IC = 0.56-0.94). It is associated with ipsilateral pleural effusion (p=0.01, IC 0.36-0.80) and atelectasis (p=0.01, IC 0.58-0.99). Epipericardial fat necrosis is more likely to occur in the absence of other symptoms (p=0.005, IC -5.83, -1.27) and in patients who are not in use of any medication (p= 0.01 e IC-3.33, -0.40). The radiological reports demonstrated increased rates of the diagnosis of epipericardial fat necrosis over the years. Conclusion: Patients who are in the emergency department with isolated atipical acute chest pain and are not in use of medications are more likely to have epipericardial fat necrosis. The frequency of the necrosis in this population was 2.15%. The knowledge of the entity leads to an increased rate of radiological diagnosis

Este trabalho visou estudar a integração de implantes de colágeno aniônico:elastina obtidos a partir de pericárdio bovino acelularizado e com densidade de carga negativa variável. As cargas negativas foram introduzidas na forma de grupos carboxílicos, por hidrólise seletiva e controlada de grupos carboxamidas de asparagina e glutamina contidos na estrutura primária da proteína. Foram estudados materiais hidrolisados por 24 e 48 horas de tratamento correspondendo, respectivamente, a 46 '+ OU -' e 87 '+ OU -' cargas negativas adicionais em relação ao colágeno nativo. Os implantes foram introduzidos no subcutâneo de rato por tempos de 14, 60, 120 e 180 dias. Os materiais foram caracterizados por análise térmica, microscopia eletrônica de varredura e de transmissão, e os explantes avaliados por microscopia de luz (colorações de Hematoxilina: Eosina, tricrômico de Masson e Verhoeff). O objetivo foi avaliar o uso de matrizes com colágeno modificado para a reconstrução de tecidos moles. Diferentemente do tecido nativo (pericárdio bovino), a resposta biológica de matrizes de colágeno:elastina polianiônica após 14 dias do implante foi caracterizada por uma progressiva redução na fibrose, porém mais importante, não foram observadas células características de resposta inflamatória crônica, particularmente nos materiais tratados quimicamente. Após 180 dias, a maioria dos implantes estavam integrados à região implantada. Tais resultados sugerem que matrizes acelulares de colágeno:elastina preparadas pela desvitalização de tecido natural podem ser suportes bastante úteis para a reconstrução de tecidos moles, devido ao seu elevado grau de biocompatibilidade e integração / This work studied the integration of acellular polyanionic collagen:elastin matrices derived of bovine pericardium (BP) with variable negative charge. Negative charges were introduced in the material by selective hydrolisis of carboxamide side chain groups from Asn and Gln present in the primary structure of the protein. Hydrolized materials after 24 and 48 hours of treatment, respectively with 46 '+ OU -' and 87 '+ OU -' extra negative charges, were studied. Implants were placed in the subcutaneous of rats for periods of 14, 60, 120 and 180 days. Materials were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, SEM and TEM, and explants analysed by optical microscopy (H.E., Masson tricromic and Verhoeff stains). The purpose of this work was to evaluate the use of modified collagen matrices for soft tissue reconstruction. Differently from native tissue (BP), the biological response of polyanionic collagen:elastin matrices after 14 days from implantation was characterized by a progressive decrease in fibrosis, but most important, no characteristic cells of a chronic inflammatory response were observed. After 180 days, most of the implants were integrated to the implant region. The results suggest that acellular collagen:elastin matrices prepared by devitalization of natural tissue due to their high degree of biocompatibility and integration may be potentially useful as a scaffold for soft tissue reconstruction

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) is a common source of ventricular tachycardia, which often requires ablation. However, the mechanisms underlying the RVOT's unique arrhythmia susceptibility remain poorly understood due to lack of detailed electrophysiological and molecular studies of the human RVOT. METHODS: We conducted optical mapping studies in 16 nondiseased donor human RVOT preparations subjected to pharmacologically induced adrenergic and cholinergic stimulation to evaluate susceptibility to arrhythmias and characterize arrhythmia dynamics. RESULTS: We found that under control conditions, RVOT has shorter action potential duration at 80% repolarization relative to the right ventricular apical region. Treatment with isoproterenol (100 nM) shortened action potential duration at 80% repolarization and increased incidence of premature ventricular contractions (=0.003), whereas acetylcholine (100 μM) stimulation alone had no effect on action potential duration at 80% repolarization or premature ventricular contractions. However, acetylcholine treatment after isoproterenol stimulation reduced the incidence of premature ventricular contractions (=0.034) and partially reversed action potential duration at 80% repolarization shortening (=0.029). Immunolabeling of RVOT (n=4) confirmed the presence of cholinergic marker VAChT (vesicular acetylcholine transporter) in the region. Rapid pacing revealed RVOT susceptibility to both concordant and discordant alternans. Investigation into transmural arrhythmia dynamics showed that arrhythmia wave fronts and phase singularities (rotors) were relatively more organized in the endocardium than in the epicardium (=0.006). Moreover, there was a weak but positive spatiotemporal autocorrelation between epicardial and endocardial arrhythmic wave fronts and rotors. Transcriptome analysis (n=10 hearts) suggests a trend that MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signaling, calcium signaling, and cGMP-PKG (protein kinase G) signaling are among the pathways that may be enriched in the male RVOT, whereas pathways of neurodegeneration may be enriched in the female RVOT. CONCLUSIONS: Human RVOT electrophysiology is characterized by shorter action potential duration relative to the right ventricular apical region. Cholinergic right ventricular stimulation attenuates the arrhythmogenic effects of adrenergic stimulation, including increase in frequency of premature ventricular contractions and shortening of wavelength. Right ventricular arrhythmia is characterized by positive spatial-temporal autocorrelation between epicardial-endocardial arrhythmic wave fronts and rotors that are relatively more organized in the endocardium.

A hipercolesterolemia familiar (HF) é uma doença causada por um grupo de alterações genéticas que resultam em altas concentrações de colesterol no sangue e aumento na prevalência de aterosclerose subclínica e risco de eventos coronarianos precoces. Apesar da importância do colesterol como fator causal da aterosclerose na HF, o curso desta última é variável e influenciado por outros fatores de risco. A gordura pericárdica é um compartimento da gordura visceral e está associada à presença de aterosclerose coronária subclínica em populações sem HF. Este estudo avaliou a associação da gordura pericárdica com a presença e extensão da aterosclerose coronária subclínica em pacientes com HF. Noventa e sete pacientes com HF diagnosticada por critérios clínicos, confirmada geneticamente em 67% dos casos, foram submetidos a angiotomografia de coronárias e determinação do escore de cálcio (CAC). Foram analisadas a presença de placas, de estenose luminal > 50%, de CAC > 0 e do percentil de CAC > 75. Para se quantificar a extensão e gravidade da aterosclerose coronária subclínica foram avaliados de forma contínua a CAC, o Segment-Involvement Score (SIS) e o Segment-Stenosis Score (SSS). O volume de gordura pericárdica foi aferido por método semiautomático e dividido em dois compartimentos: gordura epicárdica (localizada dentre do saco pericárdico) e mediastinal (localizada fora do pericárdio). Para avaliar a associação dos volumes de gordura pericárdica com a aterosclerose subclínica foram ajustados modelos de regressão logística e linear. Os pacientes tinham idade média de 45 (±13) anos, com predomínio do sexo feminino. Foi encontrada presença de placas coronarianas e de CAC em 47,4% e 45,4% dos pacientes, respectivamente. Idade, colesterol total, LDL-C, HDL-C, apolipoproteína A-I, apolipoproteína B, presença de xantomas de tendão de Aquiles e clearance de creatinina foram associados a aterosclerose coronária subclínica na análise univariada. Os volumes de gordura pericárdica se associaram à presença de síndrome metabólica, hipertensão arterial, idade, IMC, a circunferência abdominal, o colesterol não-HDL, triglicerídeos e glicemia de jejum. Na análise multivariada em modelos ajustados para idade, sexo, tabagismo, HDL-C, LDL-C, circunferência abdominal, síndrome metabólica e uso prévio de estatinas, a gordura epicárdica foi associada independentemente com o percentil de CAC > 75 e foi diretamente proporcional a intensidade da CAC, SSS e SIS. Em conclusão, a gordura epicárdica associou-se independentemente à maior extensão e gravidade de aterosclerose coronária subclínica em pacientes com HF / Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a disease caused by a group of genetic mutations resulting in high blood cholesterol and elevated prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis and early coronary events. Although high cholesterol is the driving cause of atherosclerosis in FH, the course of the latter is variable and is affected by other risk factors. Pericardial fat (PF) is a visceral fat compartment that is associated to the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in non-FH populations. The present study sought to determine the association of PF with the presence and extent of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in FH subjects. Ninety-seven patients with clinical diagnosis of FH, genetically confirmed in 67%, were submitted to coronary tomography angiography and coronary artery calcium (CAC) quantification. The presence of plaques, luminal stenosis > 50%, CAC > 0, CAC percentile above 75 were evaluated. In order to evaluate the extent and severity of subclinical atherosclerosis, the CAC scores, Segment-Involvement Score (SIS) and Segment-Stenosis Score (SSS) were also measured. Pericardial fat volumes were measured by semi automated method and divided in two compartments: epicardial fat (located inside the pericardial sac) and mediastinal fat (located outside pericardial sac). Logistic regression and linear models tested the association of PF volumes with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. Patients were predominantly female, with mean age of 45 (± 13) years. Coronary plaques and CAC were found respectively in 47.4% and 45.4% of patients. Age, total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, apolipoproteins A-I and B, the presence of Achilles xanthomas and creatinine clearance were associated with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in univariate analysis. PF volumes were associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome, hypertension age, BMI, abdominal circumference non-HDL-cholesterol triglycerides and fasting glucose. On multivariate analysis in models adjusted for age, sex, smoking, HDL-C, LDL-C, abdominal circumference, metabolic syndrome and previous statin use epicardial fat was independently associated with CAC > 75th percentile, and was directly proportional to the intensity of CAC, SSS and SIS. In conclusion, epicardial fat was independently associated with a greater extension and severity of subclinical atherosclerosis in FH patients

Among the four valves of the heart, the aortic valve (AV) is frequently affected by disease. When progressive dilatation of the valve produces a leak when the valve should close (regurgitation), repair may be possible. AV repair is a desirable option because, contrary to AV replace-ment using a prosthesis, it does not require life-long anticoagulation treatment, and retains the original tissues that naturally combat structural degradation. All the AV repair procedures developed by cardiac surgeons require a good stabilization of the ventriculo-aortic junction (VAJ) diameter, through annuloplasty or reimplantation, for long-term success. In the present work, a preliminary design for a new type of annuloplasty ring is proposed that surgeons could tailor to the each valve’s shape and suture inside the VAJ. The design consists in wrapping a commonly available surgical biomaterial into a ring of controlled radial flexibility. For sizing and material selection, several models of increasing complexity were created to account for the anisotropic, hyperelastic nature of all the materials involved. First, an analytical model was programmed in MATLAB to assess the radial flexibility of annuloplasty rings formed with different biomaterials and select those that could match the physiological VAJ radial flexibility between systolic and diastolic pressures. The same program was also used to reproduce the experimental radial and longitudinal stretches of the human VAJ from 0 to 140 mmHg pressures. The analytical models were used to calibrate the parameters of independent finite element (FE) models of the VAJ and ring. Finally, the FE approach was extended to simulate the ring after suturing inside the VAJ, to determine the radial flexibility of the assembly under pulsatile pressure. Supple Peri-Guard® bo-vine pericardium patches used in transverse orientation emerged as the best currently available material option for the proposed ring, although a material providing more physiological radial flexibility would be desirable.

A hipercolesterolemia familiar (HF) é uma doença causada por um grupo de alterações genéticas que resultam em altas concentrações de colesterol no sangue e aumento na prevalência de aterosclerose subclínica e risco de eventos coronarianos precoces. Apesar da importância do colesterol como fator causal da aterosclerose na HF, o curso desta última é variável e influenciado por outros fatores de risco. A gordura pericárdica é um compartimento da gordura visceral e está associada à presença de aterosclerose coronária subclínica em populações sem HF. Este estudo avaliou a associação da gordura pericárdica com a presença e extensão da aterosclerose coronária subclínica em pacientes com HF. Noventa e sete pacientes com HF diagnosticada por critérios clínicos, confirmada geneticamente em 67% dos casos, foram submetidos a angiotomografia de coronárias e determinação do escore de cálcio (CAC). Foram analisadas a presença de placas, de estenose luminal > 50%, de CAC > 0 e do percentil de CAC > 75. Para se quantificar a extensão e gravidade da aterosclerose coronária subclínica foram avaliados de forma contínua a CAC, o Segment-Involvement Score (SIS) e o Segment-Stenosis Score (SSS). O volume de gordura pericárdica foi aferido por método semiautomático e dividido em dois compartimentos: gordura epicárdica (localizada dentre do saco pericárdico) e mediastinal (localizada fora do pericárdio). Para avaliar a associação dos volumes de gordura pericárdica com a aterosclerose subclínica foram ajustados modelos de regressão logística e linear. Os pacientes tinham idade média de 45 (±13) anos, com predomínio do sexo feminino. Foi encontrada presença de placas coronarianas e de CAC em 47,4% e 45,4% dos pacientes, respectivamente. Idade, colesterol total, LDL-C, HDL-C, apolipoproteína A-I, apolipoproteína B, presença de xantomas de tendão de Aquiles e clearance de creatinina foram associados a aterosclerose coronária subclínica na análise univariada. Os volumes de gordura pericárdica se associaram à presença de síndrome metabólica, hipertensão arterial, idade, IMC, a circunferência abdominal, o colesterol não-HDL, triglicerídeos e glicemia de jejum. Na análise multivariada em modelos ajustados para idade, sexo, tabagismo, HDL-C, LDL-C, circunferência abdominal, síndrome metabólica e uso prévio de estatinas, a gordura epicárdica foi associada independentemente com o percentil de CAC > 75 e foi diretamente proporcional a intensidade da CAC, SSS e SIS. Em conclusão, a gordura epicárdica associou-se independentemente à maior extensão e gravidade de aterosclerose coronária subclínica em pacientes com HF / Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a disease caused by a group of genetic mutations resulting in high blood cholesterol and elevated prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis and early coronary events. Although high cholesterol is the driving cause of atherosclerosis in FH, the course of the latter is variable and is affected by other risk factors. Pericardial fat (PF) is a visceral fat compartment that is associated to the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in non-FH populations. The present study sought to determine the association of PF with the presence and extent of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in FH subjects. Ninety-seven patients with clinical diagnosis of FH, genetically confirmed in 67%, were submitted to coronary tomography angiography and coronary artery calcium (CAC) quantification. The presence of plaques, luminal stenosis > 50%, CAC > 0, CAC percentile above 75 were evaluated. In order to evaluate the extent and severity of subclinical atherosclerosis, the CAC scores, Segment-Involvement Score (SIS) and Segment-Stenosis Score (SSS) were also measured. Pericardial fat volumes were measured by semi automated method and divided in two compartments: epicardial fat (located inside the pericardial sac) and mediastinal fat (located outside pericardial sac). Logistic regression and linear models tested the association of PF volumes with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. Patients were predominantly female, with mean age of 45 (± 13) years. Coronary plaques and CAC were found respectively in 47.4% and 45.4% of patients. Age, total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, apolipoproteins A-I and B, the presence of Achilles xanthomas and creatinine clearance were associated with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in univariate analysis. PF volumes were associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome, hypertension age, BMI, abdominal circumference non-HDL-cholesterol triglycerides and fasting glucose. On multivariate analysis in models adjusted for age, sex, smoking, HDL-C, LDL-C, abdominal circumference, metabolic syndrome and previous statin use epicardial fat was independently associated with CAC > 75th percentile, and was directly proportional to the intensity of CAC, SSS and SIS. In conclusion, epicardial fat was independently associated with a greater extension and severity of subclinical atherosclerosis in FH patients

Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-26T12:51:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 rogerioleonebuchaim_tese.pdf: 3407631 bytes, checksum: 87786b69303a26860816554562d2cdab (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-05-17 / The present study was aimed at examining the biocompatibility of anionic collagen matrices, their local bone response following implantation in surgically-created bone defects and also the influence of the collagen fiber orientation in the neoformed bone tissue. Seventy two rats ( Rattus norvegicus albinus ) were used in this experiment. The animals were divided into four experimental groups: Group 1 (control), without implants; Group 2, pericardium medullar implants, 12 hours; Group 3, medullar implants of tendon, 24 hours, with the bigger axes of collagen fibers parallel to the bigger axes of the tibia; and Group 4, medullar implants of tendon, 24 hours, with the bigger axes of collagen fibers perpendicular to the bigger axes of the tibia. After the experimental surgery, the evolution of the repair process was microscopically evaluated in 7, 15 and 30 days post-surgery. The results demonstrated the implanted matrices to be biocompatible and to function as a scaffold inducing the formation of bone, mainly in Group 4. At first, the cellularity follows the arrangement of collagen fibers, obtaining a growing multidirectional arrangement, suggesting that the direction and the orientation are related to the direction and to the magnitude of the stress applied to the bone. / Este estudo apresentou como objetivo, examinar a biocompatibilidade de matrizes de colágeno aniônico, sua resposta óssea local após implantação em defeitos ósseos criados cirurgicamente e a influência da orientação das fibras colágenas no tecido ósseo neoformado. Foram utilizados 72 ratos (Rattus norvegicus albinus) divididos em 4 grupos experimentais de 6 animais cada: Grupo 1 (controle), sem implante; Grupo 2, implante medular pericárdio 12 horas; Grupo 3, implante medularde tendão 24 horas, com o maior eixo de suas fibras colágenas direcionados paralelamente ao maior eixo da tíbia e , Grupo 4, implante medular de tendão 24 horas, com o maior eixo de suas fibras colágenas direcionadas perpendicularmente ao maior eixo da tíbia. A evolução do processo de reparo, após a cirurgia experimental, foi avaliada microscopicamente com 7, 15 e 30 dias pós-operatórios. Os resultados demosntraram que as matrizes implantadas são biocompatíveis e funcionam como uma matriz tridimensional induzindo a formação de osso, maior no grupo 4. a celularidade, inicialmente, acompanha o arranjo das fibras colágenas, adquirindo um arranjo multidirecional crescente, sugerindo que a direção e a orientação estão relacionadas com a direção e a magnitude do stress aplicado sobre o osso.

Hemocompatibility tuning was adopted to explore and refine an innovative, GA-free preparation strategy combining decellularization, riboflavin/UV crosslinking, and low-energy electron irradiation (SULEEI) procedure. A SULEEI-protocol was established to avoid GA-dependent deterioration that results in insufficient long-term aortic valve bioprosthesis durability. Final SULEEI-pericardium, intermediate steps and GA-fixed reference pericardium were exposed in vitro to fresh human whole blood to elucidate effects of preparation parameters on coagulation and inflammation activation and tissue histology. The riboflavin/UV crosslinking step showed to be less efficient in inactivating extracellular matrix (ECM) protein activity than the GA fixation, leading to tissue-factor mediated blood clotting. Intensifying the riboflavin/UV crosslinking with elevated riboflavin concentration and dextran caused an enhanced activation of the complement system. Yet activation processes induced by the previous protocol steps were quenched with the final electron beam treatment step. An optimized SULEEI protocol was developed using an intense and extended, trypsin-containing decellularization step to inactivate tissue factor and a dextran-free, low riboflavin, high UV crosslinking step. The innovative and improved GA-free SULEEI-preparation protocol results in low coagulant and low inflammatory bovine pericardium for surgical application.

Leaflet replacement in aortic valve repair (AVr) is associated with increased long-term repair failure. Hemodynamic performance and mechanical stress levels were investigated after porcine AVr with 5 types of clinically relevant replacement materials to ascertain which material(s) would be best suited for repair. Porcine aortic roots with intact aortic valves were placed in a left-heart simulator mounted with a high-speed camera for baseline valve assessment. Then, the non-coronary leaflet was excised and replaced with autologous porcine pericardium (APP), glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine pericardial patch (BPP; Synovis™), extracellular matrix scaffold (CorMatrix™), or collagen-impregnated Dacron (HEMASHIELD™). Hemodynamic parameters were measured over a range of cardiac outputs (2.5–6.5L/min) post-repair. Material properties of the above materials along with St. Jude Medical™ Pericardial Patch with EnCapTM Technology (SJM) were determined using pressurization experiments. Finite element models of the aortic valve and root complex were then constructed to verify the hemodynamic characteristics and determine leaflet stress levels. This study demonstrates that APP and SJM have the closest profiles to normal aortic valves; therefore, use of either replacement material may be best suited. Increased stresses found in BPP, HEMASHIELD™, and CorMatrix™ groups may be associated with late repair failure.