Allogenic heart valve bank in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantology of Jagiellonian University in Cracow – 23 years experience in the treatment of aortic valve or aortic root diseases J. Stolin´ski 1, *, G. Marek 1 , Z. Marcinkowska 2 , M. Jaskier 2 , D. Barecka 2 , K. Bartus´ 1 , B. Kapelak 1 , J. Sadowski 1 and A. Dziatkowiak 1 1 Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantology, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland; 2 Allogenic Heart Valve Bank in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantology, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland; *Author for correspondence (e-mail: jarek_st@yahoo.com; phone: +48-12- 6143072(75); fax: +48-12-4233900) Received 6 April 2004; accepted in revised form 21 December 2004 Key words: Aortic allograft, Aortic valve replacement, Tissue banking Abstract Allogenic aortic valves are widely used in case of native aortic valve or root disease as well as failed prosthetic valves with great success. At the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantology of the Jagiellonian University in Cracow, aortic valve or aortic root replacement with allogenic aortic valve has been performed for 23 years. Allogenic heart valve bank was founded in 1980. In the bank we prepare both aortic allografts for adult cardiac surgical procedures and pulmonary allografts that are mostly used for repair of congenital heart disease. Allogenic aortic valves implantation was usually considered in our clinic for older patients, patients with infective endocarditis of the native or prosthetic valve, young women in reproductive age and patients with Marfan syndrome. Allografts exhibit excellent clinical performance and acceptable durability with no early failure if properly inserted. Between 1980 and 1992, allografts were obtained only from cadavers during routine autopsies. More than 10% of prepared allografts were exported to other cardiac surgery centres in Poland and foreign countries. Total number of aortic valve replacement with allografts (1890–2003) 655 Number of allografts prepared (1980–2003) 1890 (aortic) 853 (pulmonary) Number of allogenic valve donors (1992–2003) Total Pathology HTX MOD 766 64% 28% 9% Results after 20 years Whole series of patients (n = 655) Patients with endocarditis (n = 44) Mean durability 12,6 ± 4,5 years 5,6 ± 2,1 years Freedom from reoperation 49,5% 39% Freedom from endocarditis 89% 70% Freedom from thromboembolic events 93% 86% Cell and Tissue Banking (2006) 7:175–182 Ó Springer 2006 DOI 10.1007/s10561-004-7989-x