Commentary: Is surgical aortic valve replacement for older patients still justified in the current era?

Surgical aortic valve replacement is a safe and well-established technique offering low mortality and excellent postoperative patient outcome. The first aortic valve replacement using a mechanical prosthesis was performed by D. Harken in 1960.1 Since then the prostheses underwent an evolution: better flow conditions could be established and biological valves were developed making a life-long anticoagulation redundant, hereby reducing the risk of bleeding complications. A meta-analysis of studies conducted in Europe, the USA and Taiwan revealed a 12.4 % prevalence of aortic valve stenosis (AS), and a 3.4 % prevalence of severe AS among the population aged 75 years and older.
Source: Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Tags: ADULT – Commentary Source Type: research