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Updated: May 3, 2026

Full-root Aortic Valve Replacement by Stentless Aortic Xenografts in Patients with Small Aortic Roots
Published on: May 21, 2017
[Patient adapted valve selection: biological vs. mechanical heart valve replacement in aortic valve diseases]
S Brose1, R Autschbach, M Engel
1Klinik für Thorax-, Herz- und Gefäßchirurgie, Klinikum RWTH Aachen, Pauwelstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany, Sbrose@klinikum.rwth-aachen.de.
Insights
For aortic valve replacement, biological prostheses are recommended for patients over 65 due to durability and anticoagulation risks. Further research is needed on stentless options.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Biomaterials Science
Context:
- Aortic valve disease is a common indication for cardiac surgery.
- Heart valve prostheses include mechanical and biological options (xenografts, homografts).
- Balancing prosthesis durability and anticoagulation risks is crucial.
Purpose:
- To review indications for aortic valve stenosis and regurgitation surgery.
- To compare the advantages and disadvantages of mechanical versus biological heart valve prostheses.
- To present less common techniques like aortic valve reconstruction.
Summary:
- Biological prostheses offer 12-15 years of durability, making them suitable for patients aged 65+ to mitigate anticoagulation risks.
- Mechanical prostheses require lifelong anticoagulation, posing bleeding risks that increase with age.
- Stentless biological prostheses are an emerging option, but long-term data are pending.
Impact:
- Informs clinical decision-making for aortic valve replacement strategies.
- Highlights the trade-offs between prosthesis types for patient outcomes.
- Guides future research into improved heart valve technologies.
Abstract:
Since the first aortic valve replacement performed by Harken in 1960, the operation of aortic valve disease by replacing the native valve with a heart valve prosthesis has become one of the most frequently performed procedures in cardiac surgery. For valve replacement there are biological (xenografts and homografts) and mechanical heart valve prostheses available. When choosing the most suitable prosthesis the limited durability of a biological prosthesis and the risks of lifelong anticoagulation for a mechanical prosthesis have to be balanced.In this article the indication for operation of aortic valve stenosis and aortic regurgitation are discussed first. Based on the literature of the last 2 years the advantages and disadvantages of mechanical and biological heart valve prostheses (xenograft, homograft and ROSS procedure) are discussed. In addition rarely used techniques like aortic valve reconstruction are presented.Due to the fact that a biological prosthesis has a durability of 12-15 years and the risk of bleeding complications under anticoagulation grows with increasing age, the choice of a biological prosthesis can be recommended from the age of 65 years. Results of long-term studies at to whether this limit can be diminished by using a stentless biological prosthesis have to be awaited.
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