Extended (31 years) durability of a Starr-Edwards prosthesis in mitral position.
A 62-year-old man underwent mitral valve replacement with a Starr-Edwards caged-ball prosthesis in 1974. He was asymptomatic until February 2005 when he underwent a new cardiac evaluation because of increasing dyspnea and peripheral edema. The echocardiogram showed a severe aortic regurgitation and a mitral valve prosthesis well functioning. At reoperation, the mitral prosthesis and the aortic valve were replaced with St. Jude Medical((R)) bileaflet mechanical prostheses. At macroscopic and radiographic inspection the Starr-Edwards was free from signs of structural valve degeneration. This case demonstrates the impressive durability of a Starr-Edwards prosthesis in mitral position.
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Padova Medical School, Padova, Italy.
Vincenzo
V
Tarzia
Tomaso
T
Bottio
Luca
L
Testolin
Gino
G
Gerosa
D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery; D011475:Prosthesis Failure