A NEW BIOLOGIC MEMBRANE IN CARDIOVASCULAR-SURGERY

Reconstruction techniques for major vessels and intracardiac defect re pair use synthetic grafts or autogenic pericardium. Here, autologous a bdominal parietal peritoneum with the overlying posterior rectus sheat h as a biologic membrane are evaluated. Twelve adult canines were used . Via a midline subumbilical incision, the parietal peritoneum and ove rlying posterior rectus sheath were harvested. In the first group of s ix, the membrane was used to repair the right ventricular infundibulum and perform pulmonary artery annuloplasty. In the second group of six , under cardiopulmonary bypass and moderate hypothermia, the right atr ium was opened and a secundum type defect was created. Autopsies perfo rmed 90 days after surgery revealed mild intrapericardial adhesions an d moderate pericardial reaction over the cardiotomy incisions. The rig ht ventricular outflow tract patch was nonaneurysmal. The interatrial patch was intact without thrombi. Histologic examination revealed inta ct membrane morphology, fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and endothel ialization. Proline C-14 uptake and autoradiography detected cellular viability of implanted membranes. These findings suggest that the peri toneum with overlying sheath repaired vascular and intracardiac defect s and substituted for pericardium. Future studies are needed before cl inical use.