Long-Term Data on Mitral Valve Replacement

A 16-year follow-up study has shown that a mitral pericardial heart valve has long-term durability and a low incidence of complications.

The data were collected from 430 patients in seven centers in Europe and Canada. The study concluded that patients 60 years and older who received the valve had a nearly 90% chance of not needing a new valve because of structural valve deterioration for 16 years. The study also confirmed that the valve had a low incidence of such complications as bleeding and thromboembolism. The valve in the study was the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount mitral pericardial heart valve, from Edwards Lifesciences Corp. (Irvine, CA, USA). This valve incorporates biomechanically engineered bovine pericardial tissue.

"These positive clinical data demonstrate, for the first time, the ability of biomechanically engineered pericardial tissue to endure the higher stresses that are unique to the mitral valve position,” said Professor Alain Carpentier, chairman of the department of cardiovascular surgery at the Hopital European George Pompidou (Paris, France). This study is an important development for patients, as surgeons are more likely to recommend valves based on strong, long-term evidence.”



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