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The Monostrut Björk-Shiley heart valve
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
|November 1, 1985
Summary
The new monostrut Björk-Shiley heart valve, made without welds, shows excellent clinical outcomes and hemodynamics. This improved design has demonstrated no mechanical failures or valve thrombosis in patients up to three years post-implantation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- The previous Björk-Shiley heart valve design featured a welded two-armed outflow strut, posing a risk of fracture.
- To mitigate this risk, a redesigned monostrut valve, machined from a single piece of Haynes 25 alloy, was introduced in 1982.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical performance and safety of the weld-free, one-piece monostrut Björk-Shiley heart valve.
- To assess hemodynamic function, hemolysis, and incidence of valve thrombosis and mechanical failure.
Main Methods:
- Clinical follow-up of 268 patients implanted with the monostrut Björk-Shiley valve, out of an initial cohort of 864.
- Assessment of hemodynamic parameters via transseptal cardiac catheterization, even in patients with narrow aortic roots.
- Monitoring for hemolysis, valve thrombosis, and mechanical failure in patients on anticoagulant therapy.
Main Results:
- Excellent functional improvement and clinical outcomes reported in patients followed up to 3 years.
- Absence of hemolysis and excellent hemodynamics were observed.
- No instances of valve thrombosis were recorded in patients receiving anticoagulant therapy, regardless of valve position (aortic or mitral).
- No mechanical failures of the monostrut valve were reported.
Conclusions:
- The monostrut Björk-Shiley heart valve design eliminates the fracture risk associated with the previous welded strut.
- The monostrut valve demonstrates excellent safety, hemodynamic performance, and clinical efficacy, making it a reliable alternative for heart valve replacement.