Starr-Edwards aortic valve: 50+ years and still going strong: a case report

The advent of the Starr-Edwards mechanical valve marked the beginning of the modern era for heart valve replacement. Nowadays, this valve has been supplanted by lower profile bileaflet mechanical prostheses that are considered to have better haemodynamics, lesser risk of thrombo-embolic complications, and longer durability without structural prosthesis failure. These assumptions often lead physicians to face with the question of systematically replacing functional Starr-Edwards valves in patients undergoing redo operations on other valves. We report the case of a 67-year-old patient who recently underwent mitral valve replacement for symptomatic rheumatic valve disease with an excellent outcome. During the operation, the Starr-Edwards valve in the aortic position implanted 51 years earlier was found to still functioning normally hence was left in place, thereby breaking a new longevity record for a valve prosthesis.