Transcript Artificial Heart Valves

Artificial Heart Valves
By Daniel Wec
What are they?
• Artificial Heart Valves are devices that function as
natural heart valves, pumping blood from one
chamber of the heart to the next.
• They are implanted through open-heart surgery on
individuals who have a defective heart valve or
suffer from various heart valvular diseases.
• There are two types:
- Mechanical
- Biological or Tissue
History
• 1952 – Dr. Charles Hufnagel designed and implanted a
mechanical heart into a thirty year old female.
• 1960 – The Starr-Edwards ball valve was created. It was based
off of Dr. Charles Hufnagel’s design.
• 1969- The Bjork-Shiley valve started being used and it was
based on a tilting disc design.
• 1979 – Bileaflet valves start being used and up to this day,
their designs are still being improved upon.
Mechanical Heart Valves
• Allow blood to flow through their center but do have
negative effects:
- Backflow.
- Blood infection.
- Patients must take blood thinning medication and get
blood tests done every 4-6 weeks.
- Tend to get worn out.
- Last around 25-35 years, since they are usually made
from titanium and/or carbon.
Biological Heart Valves
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There are two types, tissue, and homograft.
Tissue:
Made from animal tissue, usually pig, but sometimes horses and cows.
Last for an average of 15 years.
Are similar to human tissue so they don’t require maintenance through
blood thinners and blood tests.
Higher chance of rejection.
Homograft Blood Valves
Actual human valves that are donated.
Less risk of infection.
No guarantee that the valve will be the correct size for a certain
patient.
Who Needs Mechanical Heart Valves?
• Mechanical Heart Valves are more likely
implanted on patients who:
- Have a longer lifespan or are over 65.
- Already have another mechanical heart valve
implanted.
- Are already taking blood thinners or are healthy
enough to take them.
- Have had kidney failure.
Who Needs Biological Heart Valves?
• Biological Heart Valves are most likely
implanted on patients who:
- Are younger than 65.
- Have had trouble with a prior mechanical
heart valve.
- Cannot take blood thinners.
- Are in the late stages of kidney failure.
Currently Being Used
The most common heart valves that are being used by
cedars-sinai include the following:
• Mechanical Heart Valves:
- St. Jude Valve
• Biological (Tissue) Heart Valves:
- Carpentier-Edwards Pericardial Valve
- St. Jude Toronto Stentless Porcine Valve
Future
• Improvements that researchers will attempt to
make in the future include:
- Longer lifespan of the heart valves.
- Lower rejection rate.
- Less risk of blood clots in mechanical heart
valves.
- Remove the need for blood thinning medication.
- Implant the artificial heart valves through a less
intrusive method (currently open-heart surgery).
References
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"Artificial Heart Valve." Wikipedia. N.p.. Web. 14 Oct 2012.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_heart_valve>
"Biological Heart Valves." Cedars-Sinai. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct 2012.
<http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Programs-and-Services/HeartInstitute/Centers-and-Programs/Cardiothoracic-Surgery-Services/Heart-ValveRepair-and-Replacement/Biological-Heart-Valves.aspx;
Dance, Amber. "Slide Show: 7 Artificial Valves That Lend Hearts a Helping Hand."
Scientific American. 25 2009: n. page. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=artificial-heart-valves>
"Mechanical Heart Valves." cedars-sinai. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct 2012.
<http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Programs-and-Services/HeartInstitute/Centers-and-Programs/Cardiothoracic-Surgery-Services/Heart-ValveRepair-and-Replacement/Mechanical-Heart-Valves.aspx;
"Mechanical Heart Valve." drexel.edu. N.p., 17 2008. Web. 14 Oct 2012.
<http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~nag38/History.html>