Bovine pericardial (P.B.) grafts are in clinical use at Biocor Institute since 1989 for replacement or repair of the ascending aorta (AsAo) and the initial segment of the aortic arch (AoAr); the main advantages of B.F. grafts that justified its clinical application are: easiness to handle, fully hemostatic and low cost. This study was conducted to analyse the fate of the heterograft after a minimum of 2 years of implantation. From February 1989 to Frebruary 1994, 84 patients had a B.P. graft implanted in the AsAo or AoAr. The total hospital mortality was 18%. Thirty-one patients who had two years of follow-up were selected for analysis of the B.P. graft (mean follow-up = 40.9 months). They underwent either an echocardiographic examination or an aortographic study (n=15) in order to determine the presence of dilatation, calcification, thrombus and pseudoaneurysm. In all patients the graft was functioning perfectly and no abnormalities were recorded. The current follow-up is short and complications such as calcification and pseudoaneurysm may still develop, therefore a longer time is required. The present study has shown superior handling and hemostatic properties over the classical Dacron grafts and no adverse behavior was noted during this 4 years of study.
ascending aorta; aortic arch; pericardial grafts