Salutary swan song for the Starr Edwards valve

The Starr-Edwards valve was the first manufactured valve to be used successfully as a cardiac valve replacement in 1960. Although superseded by newer valves over the decades it has achieved an excellent track record. It has unique features, namely a protective metal casing around the ball poppet and a large and thick sewing ring. We describe the last implant of this valve in Australia; it has now been withdrawn by the manufacturer. In this particular case, the unique features of this valve made the required surgery quite simple and avoided the need for complex mitral valve surgery in a very high-risk patient.