Aortic Tissue Extraction for Cell Culture

Ascending aortic specimens were obtained intra-operatively from 40 consecutive cardiac patients undergoing aortic valve surgery. A 4–5 mm wide circumferential strip of aortic tissue was excised 5–10 mm above the sinotubular junction from the anterior circumference of the thoracic aorta, adjacent to the aortotomy. Aortic valve morphology was determined pre-operatively by either trans-esophageal or trans-thoracic echocardiography, and only normal (i.e., tricuspid) aortic valves were included. Aortic valve morphology was confirmed intra-operatively by the surgeon. Aortic dimensions were determined pre-operatively by computed tomography, and confirmed intra-operatively by trans-esophageal echocardiography. Aortic samples extracted in the operating room were divided and were either immediately fixed in 4% phosphate-buffered formalin for histological studies, or were placed in PBS and directly transferred to a sterile tissue culture hood for immediate extraction of vascular SMCs.