Biochemical and mechanical behavior of ostrich pericardium as a new biomaterial

We have performed a comparative analysis of glutaraldehyde-preserved ostrich pericardium, as a novel biomaterial, with bovine pericardium. The biochemical characteristics (histology, water content, amino acid composition, and collagen and elastin contents), mechanical properties, and in vivo calcification in a subcutaneous rat model were examined. Ostrich pericardium is slightly thinner and shows a higher water content (70 ± 2% vs. 62 ± 2%) than bovine pericardium. Additionally, ostrich pericardium presents 1.6-fold lower elastin content and a lower percentage of collagen in reference to the total protein content (68 ± 2% vs. 76 ± 2%). However, ostrich pericardium shows better mechanical properties, with higher tensile stress at rupture (32.4 ± 7.5 vs. 11.5 ± 4.6) than calf pericardium. In vivo calcification studies in a rat subcutaneous model show that ostrich pericardium is significantly less calcified than bovine pericardium (23.95 ± 13.30 vs. 100.10 ± 37.36 mg/g tissue) after 60 days of implantation. In conclusion, glutaraldehyde-stabilized ostrich pericardium tissue shows better mechanical properties than calf tissue. However, calcium accumulation in implanted ostrich tissue is still too high to consider it a much better alternative to bovine pericardium, and anticalcification treatments should be considered.