Calcific stenosis of the porcine heterograft

We have encountered two cases of late calcification of the porcine heterograft. A patient in chronic renal failure died of sepsis and endocarditis fifteen months after replacement of the mitral and tricuspid valves. At postmortem examination, both heterograft valves exhibited severe calcification and thrombosis. A second patient with rheumatic heart disease and sickle cell disease underwent mitral valve replacement for severe regurgitation. Thirty months later, cardiac catheterization revealed prosthetic valve stenosis. The valve was replaced successfully, and the excised heterograft exhibited severe calcification with restriction of leaflet motion. Although calcification of the porcine heterograft is known to occur in patients with infection or disorders of calcium metabolism, dysfunction of the heterograft is rare in our experience.