MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FRESH AND FROZEN HUMAN DESCENDING THORACIC AORTA

In this study, mechanical characteristics of descending thoracic aorta were evaluated after preservation at +4 degrees C in EuroCollins solu tion or after programmed cryopreservation with 15% dimethylsulfoxide a nd compared to control segments. Arterial allografts were procured fro m multiple organ harvesting over a period of 2 years. All the segments were allowed to incubate in EuroCollins enriched antibiotics solution for 18 to 24 hr after harvest and were then tested as a control group or preserved at +4 degrees C in EuroCollins solution for 4, 7, 21, an d 31 days or cryopreserved for 2 or 4 months. Each aorta was cut into parallel blades either in the radial or in the circumferential directi on and mounted over a traction-compression apparatus for mechanical te sting. Stress-strain characteristics indicated that no discernible dif ferences were found between cryopreserved aorta and the control group. For those preserved at +4 degrees C a greater high strain modulus was noted for graft preserved for 21 and 31 days; however, this differenc e was not statistically significant. The authors concluded that cryopr eservation did not alter the mechanical characteristics of arterial al lografts procured from multiple organ harvesting. (C) 1996 Academic Pr ess, Inc.