Mechanical Pulmonary Valve Replacement

Although most valve operations performed annually address lesions of the aortic or mitral valves, the frequency of pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) is increasing because most patients with congenital heart disease are surviving into the adult years. The vast majority of patients, especially children that require PVR, obtain a tissue valve because of the relative good durability and the lack of a need for anticoagulation. Because the need for repeat operation is inevitable for most patients, and the population of adults with congenital heart disease continues to grow, there are increasing situations in which a mechanical pulmonary prosthesis may be appropriate.

Source: Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery: Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Annual - April 6, 2016 Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: John M. Stulak, Bassem N. Mora, Sameh M. Said, Hartzell V. Schaff, Joseph A. Dearani Source Type: research