43.3-year durability of a Smeloff-Cutter ball-caged mitral valve.
Extended durability of mechanical heart valves has been documented for many years. We describe a case of a ball-caged mechanical valve implanted 43.3 years previous to developing valve dysfunction. The patient presented with both prosthetic valve stenosis and insufficiency. This Smeloff-Cutter valve (Cutter Laboratories, Berkeley, CA) in the mitral position was dysfunctional due to lipid absorption, which resulted in ball variance and concomitant pannus growth prevented optimal seating of the ball in its cage. This is the longest length of time in which a Smeloff-Cutter mechanical valve has been originally implanted.
Cardiopulmonary Research Science and Technology Institute, Dallas, Texas, USA.
Stuart J
SJ
Head
Jamie
J
Ko
Rajeev
R
Singh
William C
WC
Roberts
Michael J
MJ
Mack
D000293:Adolescent; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012086:Reoperation