title: Thirty years survival after double valve replacement with Starr-Edwards prostheses in aortic and mitral position.
abstract: We report about a patient who underwent double valve replacement with two Starr-Edwards prostheses in aortic and mitral position 30 years ago. Under anticoagulation medication he survived 28 years without any valve-related events. In the 29th year he sustained a cerebral infarction from which he recovered, having only a residual left arm paresis. His NYHA functional class today is II-III. Chest X-ray shows a mildly enlarged configuration of the heart, echocardiography reveals no irregularities of the implanted prostheses. We conclude, that the Starr-Edwards valve presents an outstanding standard concerning durability in mechanical valve replacement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gödje
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fischlein
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Reichart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004452:Echocardiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011474:Prosthesis Design