Comparison of elasticities of components of a cardiac bioprosthesis leaflet

The mechanoelastic behavior of calf pericardium employed in cardiac bioprostheses was compared with that of three types of thread (Nylon, Prolene, and silk) used to suture this biological tissue. The elastic limit (EL) of each material was determined by means of tensile tests and the mathematical functions that govern the stress/strain curves within the EL have been described. The first derivative of these functions for each point to the curves allowed the immediate calculation of the elastic modulus (EM), which was considered the best parameter for comparing the elasticities of the materials being assessed. It was observed that the deformation of the pericardium produced by the working stress of a pericardial leaflet was approximately 1000 times greater than that produced in the surgical threads. When the elasticities were compared on the basis of the EM, that of pericardium was 749.06, 626.95, and 1253.17 times greater than that of the Nylon, Prolene, and silk suture threads, respectively. These results demonstrate that the interaction between these materials (pericardium and the threads) could be generating detrimental forces that can diminish the durability of the leaflets of the bioprostheses constructed of calf pericardium. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.