Harvesting Aortic and Pulmonary Homograft Valves From the Human Cadaveric Heart

The search for an ideal cardiac valve substitute continues. Homografts have the advantages of resistance to infection, superior hemodynamic profile, and avoidance of anticoagulation compared to the conventional prosthetic valves (1). However, their durability and availability are a concern.

At this center, the donor selection, procurement, sterilization, and preservation process is based on the recommendations in the guiding document by the American Association of Tissue Banks and the statutory provisions of the 1994 Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA) (2, 3).