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Calcification of glutaraldehyde-fixed porcine xenograft
Thorax
|February 1, 1978
Insights
Severe calcification of a Hancock mitral valve prosthesis caused stenosis and immobility in a 14-year-old patient. The exact cause of this valve calcification remains unknown, highlighting a potential complication of prosthetic valves.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular pathology
- Prosthetic heart valve research
- Biomaterial degradation
Background:
- Mitral valve replacement is a common procedure for severe mitral regurgitation or stenosis.
- Prosthetic heart valves, such as the Hancock prosthesis, are used to restore normal heart function.
- Long-term complications of prosthetic valves can include calcification, pannus formation, and thromboembolism.
Abstract:
The clinical and light and electron microscopic findings are reported in a 14-year-old patient who died 12 months after mitral valve replacement with a Hancock prosthesis. Severe cusp calcification had led to immobilisation of the valve and stenosis. Calcification involved the substance of the valve cusps. The cause of the calcification in this patient is unknown.