title: Integrity of mechanical aortic valve prostheses explanted after 27 and 23 years.
abstract: We describe 2 cases of mechanical aortic valve endocarditis and the influence on clinical outcome and prostheses material integrity. One patient required extensive reconstruction due to active endocarditis leading to a "rocking valve". The second case was caused by late aortic dissection following endocarditis. Both valve prostheses showed remarkable material quality and performance in functional assessment and high resolution scanning electron microscopic evaluation after 27 and 23 years of service.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Center Basel-Bern, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: Devdas T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Inderbitzin
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruppert
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halbeisen
authors.forename: Martin Tr
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Grapow
authors.forename: Friedrich S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Eckstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020878:Device Removal; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Aortic valve; bacterial; endocarditis; heart valve prosthesis; materials testing; prosthesis-related infections