Thrombogenicity of Polyethylene Oxide-Bonded Dacron Sewing Ring in a
Mechanical Heart Valve
Mrinal K. Dewanjee PhD, David R. Gross DVM, Peiyong Zhai MD, Sherrie Lanzo BA,
Hong Shim PhD, Kinam Park PhD, David J. Schaeffer PhD, A. Robert Twardock DVM

The effect of binding hydrophilic polyethylene oxide (PEO) onto the Dacron sewing ring of a mechanical heart valve (MHV) was evaluated using Yorkshire-cross pigs. Pigs were implanted with MHVs in the mitral annulus, with either PEO-treated or untreated (control) sewing rings. The amounts of platelet thrombi adherent to the MHV components, and organ-trapped emboli, were quantified using ¹¹¹In-labeled autologous platelets and gamma counting. There were no significant differences between the number of platelets adherent to the PEO-treated and control sewing rings. Platelets deposited on all other MHV components and trapped within emboli in organs were also similar in both groups. Thus, simple modifications may not reduce platelet thrombosis or wound-healing of sewing ring in the acute phase, at which time several complex processes are activating and inactivating platelets and coagulant factors during cardiopulmonary bypass and implantation of MHVs.