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Updated: May 9, 2026

Fully Endoscopic Mitral Valve Repair with Percutaneous Cannulation of Groin Vessels
Published on: May 26, 2023
A case of the Starr-Edwards ball valve (Model 6120) in the mitral position for 45 years
Shuhei Azuma1, Masafumi Morita, Yasuhiro Yoshii
1The Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of Kyoto Katsura Hospital, Yamada Hiraocho 17, Nishikyoku, Kyoto, Kyoto, 615-8256, Japan, shuhei-azuma@r8.dion.ne.jp.
Abstract:
A 59-year-old male who had undergone mitral valve replacement with the Starr-Edwards ball valve Model 6120 (S-E ball valve) 45 years ago was admitted to our hospital for hemolytic anemia and heart failure. Echocardiography revealed that there was no valve dysfunction but paravalvular leakage between the annulus of P2 and the sewing ring of the Starr-Edwards ball valve. He underwent mitral valve replacement. The S-E ball valve was successfully replaced with bileaflet mechanical valve. The explanted S-E ball valve was free from signs of structural valve degeneration. This case shows one of the longest durability of the S-E ball valve in mitral position in the world.
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