Structure and classification of cuspal tears and perforations in porcine bioprosthetic cardiac valves implanted in patients

Morphologic studies were made of cuspal tears and perforations in 16 porcine valve bioprostheses that had been implanted in 14 patients (9 male and 5 female) ranging in age from 2 to 65 years. Eleven bioprostheses had been in the mitral position for 30 to 123 months, four in the aortic position for 15 to 40 months and one in a valved pulmonary conduit for 96 months. The cuspal lesions were classified into four types. Type I lesions, which involved the free edges of the cusps, were the most common of all lesions and occurred with equal frequency in mitral and aortic bioprostheses. Regardless of position of implantation, type I lesions were more frequent in the right coronary cusp than in the other cusps. Ultrastructural study showed that these lesions develop as consequences of breakdown of collagen at the free edges of the cusps, usually near the commissures. Type II lesions consisted of linear perforations that extended along the basal regions of the cusps, forming an arc parallel to the sewing ring. These lesions were uncommon and resulted from separation of bundles of collagen. Type III lesions, which were large, round or oval perforations that occupied central regions of the cusps, were more common in aortic than in mitral bioprostheses. They were characterized by marked destruction of cuspal tissue and were most frequently associated with infection. Type IV lesions were small pinhole-like perforations; they usually were multiple, localized in central regions of the cusps and associated with calcific deposits. Type IV lesions were more common in mitral than in aortic bioprostheses. Regardless of position, they were more frequent in the left and noncoronary cusps than in the right coronary cusp (which may be protected by its muscle shelf against this type of perforation). It is concluded that cuspal tears and perforations develop in implanted bioprostheses as consequences of structural failure of connective tissue components.