Pathology of prosthetic cardiac valves

Heart valve prostheses (HVPs) have been inserted for more than 25 years. That period has witnessed a remarkable evolution and growing sophistication in the diagnosis of valvular heart disease--in anesthetic, perfusion, and operative techniques and in the management of the postoperative patient. As a result, operative mortality related to single valve replacement is in the 3-5% range. Also, the quarter century has seen prosthesis design improve and the introduction of new materials used in their manufacture. The net result is that an individual needing a heart valve replacement now has a better chance both of surviving and of enjoying a prolonged life relatively free of complications related to the prosthesis.