Structural Integrity and Cellular Viability of Cryopreserved Allograft Heart Valves in Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Reconstruction: Correlation of Histopathological Changes with Donor Characteristics and Preservation Times

Abstract Introduction: Cryopreserved allograft heart valves (CAHV) show longer event-free survival compared to other types of protheses. However, all patients develop early and/or late allograft failure. Negative predictors are clinical, and there is a lack of evidence whether they correspond with the microscopic structure of CAHV. We assessed histopathological signs of structural degeneration, degree of cellular preservation, and presence of antigen-presenting cells (APC) in CAHV and correlated the changes with donor clinical characteristics, cryopreservation times, and CAHV types and diamet...

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