50 years of artificial heart valves

[Matski]

I was kickin around on the net and I came across this slideshow on artifical valves and thought it was kinda neat. It may have been posted before and if it was dont beat me up about posting it again. Anyway here is the link for those interested: Heart Valve Slideshow

There is an interesting story on the site as well talking about the enhancements in valves over that last 50 years.

Enjoy!

 

[knoxbone09]

That's really cool! Great find.

 

[olefin]

Interesting find!

THANKS

 

[ejonbry]

Very cool.

 

[CThrock]

I don't think these have ever been posted before. Very interesting and good information!

 

[Karlynn]

I caught an error in the information.

Mechanical valves are durable and long-lasting, but because they can cause dangerous blood clots to form, patients must take blood thinners such as warfarin for the rest of their lives. That, in turn, increases the risk of stroke.

The use of warfarin does not increase the risk of stroke. The valve - without anticoagulants have a significant stroke risk. But the risk of stroke for a tissue valve and an anticoagulated mechanical are the same. Again- taking warfarin does not increase stroke risk. Warfarin is given to many people with clotting disorders to decrease stroke risk, and the decreasing of stroke risk is why mechanical valve recipients must take it.

 

[Cooker]

I caught an error in the information.

Mechanical valves are durable and long-lasting, but because they can cause dangerous blood clots to form, patients must take blood thinners such as warfarin for the rest of their lives. That, in turn, increases the risk of stroke.

The use of warfarin does not increase the risk of stroke. The valve - without anticoagulants have a significant stroke risk. But the risk of stroke for a tissue valve and an anticoagulated mechanical are the same. Again- taking warfarin does not increase stroke risk. Warfarin is given to many people with clotting disorders to decrease stroke risk, and the decreasing of stroke risk is why mechanical valve recipients must take it.

I saw that too ... they also used the term "blood thinners" but that's never going away

 

[olefin]

patients must take blood thinners such as warfarin for the rest of their lives. That, in turn, increases the risk of stroke

I noticed the same but didn't want to mention it for most on here know better

 

[netmiff]

I caught an error in the information.

Mechanical valves are durable and long-lasting, but because they can cause dangerous blood clots to form, patients must take blood thinners such as warfarin for the rest of their lives. That, in turn, increases the risk of stroke.

The use of warfarin does not increase the risk of stroke. The valve - without anticoagulants have a significant stroke risk. But the risk of stroke for a tissue valve and an anticoagulated mechanical are the same. Again- taking warfarin does not increase stroke risk. Warfarin is given to many people with clotting disorders to decrease stroke risk, and the decreasing of stroke risk is why mechanical valve recipients must take it.

Karlynn, I don't mean to be picky, but there are two kinds of stroke, one caused by a blood clot, and the other caused by a bleed in the brain (aneurysm); my family has a history of the bleed-type stroke, and I was concerned before surgery, but my surgeon set me straight on that one. I have no idea of the numbers, but I would imagine that the chances of a bleeding stroke are increased while on warfarin, or at the very least that a bleeding stroke would not clot as fast, and may cause more damage than in a non-anti-coagulated person.

 

[Karlynn]

I guess they should have state that the type of stroke they were referring to is the bleed-type. I don't have, nor have I looked, for any stats on bleed strokes in Coumadin users. It's my assumption that that type of stroke is factored into the general risk factors for mechanical valves, which is about 3%.

 

[hensylee]

we had a long ago member named LACruiser who had a valve replacement - one of the first - when he was a child.

Also look up RCB who has a long history as well. he has been a member a long while.

 

[John & Joann]

2 mechanical valves since 1971. A few issues, but still clicking.

Joann Bos

 

[Nancy]

Joe had the second one in the slide show (in the aortic position), got it in 1977, and it was still in there when he passed away in 2006, and it was working well until the last second.

He also had a newer one (St. Jude) in the mitral position.

 

[Andy]

I everybody! I am new here. I had AVR in June of 1986. A mechanical valve similar to slide no. 2 was put in and I have been on coumadin ever since.

So far, so good.