title: Forty-year durability of a Smeloff-Cutter ball valve prosthesis in the mitral position.
abstract: A rare case requiring replacement of an intact Smeloff-Cutter ball prosthesis in the mitral position 40 years after implantation is presented. The Smeloff-Cutter ball valve prosthesis was designed to have two open cages. It has two potential advantages: a relatively large, effective orifice area and its self-washing effect that prevents thrombus formation. There have been only a few reports of survivors with ball valve prostheses in place for more than three decades especially in the mitral position. This is a valuable report describing the long-term durability of a Smeloff-Cutter ball valve prosthesis in the mitral position.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Yamanashi Central Hospital, 1-1-1 Fujimi, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400-0027, Japan. m-nakajima2a@ych.pref.yamanashi.jp
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ichihara
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amenomori
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koshiyama
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaku
mesh_terms: D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D015897:Comorbidity; D020878:Device Removal; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000453:epidemiology