Treatment of aortic infections with allografts: 20 years of experience of the European Homograft Bank (EHB) in Brussels

Abstract

Material and methods This paper presents the results of treatment of aortic infection with homografts for diverse indications. The descending thoracic aortas are recovered during the multi-organ donation (MOD), transferred to the EHB in a cold saline solution (+4°C), decontaminated in a triple antibiotic cocktail for up to 48 hours and cryopreserved using the 10% of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in Hank’s 199 solution. They are cryopreserved by a control-ratefreezing of 1°C/minute down to -40°C and 5°C/min down to -150°C, then stored in liquid nitrogen vapors at a temperature ≤-135°C up to five years. The tissues are delivered to the implanting surgeon on basis of the clinical indication and the state of emergency.