1. Artificial Heart Valves
By Daniel Wec

2. What are they?
Artificial Heart Valves are devices that function as natural heart valves, pumping blood from one chamber of the heart to the next.
They are implanted through open-heart surgery on individuals who have a defective heart valve or suffer from various heart valvular diseases.
There are two types:
Mechanical
Biological or Tissue

3. History
1952 – Dr. Charles Hufnagel designed and implanted a mechanical heart into a thirty year old female.
1960 – The Starr-Edwards ball valve was created. It was based off of Dr. Charles Hufnagel’s design.
1969- The Bjork-Shiley valve started being used and it was based on a tilting disc design.
1979 – Bileaflet valves start being used and up to this day, their designs are still being improved upon.

4. Mechanical Heart Valves
Allow blood to flow through their center but do have negative effects:
Backflow.
Blood infection.
Patients must take blood thinning medication and get blood tests done every 4-6 weeks.
Tend to get worn out.
Last around years, since they are usually made from titanium and/or carbon.

5. Biological Heart Valves
There are two types, tissue, and homograft.
Tissue:
Made from animal tissue, usually pig, but sometimes horses and cows.
Last for an average of 15 years.
Are similar to human tissue so they don’t require maintenance through blood thinners and blood tests.
Higher chance of rejection.
Homograft Blood Valves
Actual human valves that are donated.
Less risk of infection.
No guarantee that the valve will be the correct size for a certain patient.

6. Who Needs Mechanical Heart Valves?
Mechanical Heart Valves are more likely implanted on patients who:
Have a longer lifespan or are over 65.
Already have another mechanical heart valve implanted.
Are already taking blood thinners or are healthy enough to take them.
Have had kidney failure.

7. Who Needs Biological Heart Valves?
Biological Heart Valves are most likely implanted on patients who:
Are younger than 65.
Have had trouble with a prior mechanical heart valve.
Cannot take blood thinners.
Are in the late stages of kidney failure.

8. Currently Being Used
The most common heart valves that are being used by cedars-sinai include the following:
Mechanical Heart Valves:
St. Jude Valve
Biological (Tissue) Heart Valves:
Carpentier-Edwards Pericardial Valve
St. Jude Toronto Stentless Porcine Valve

9. Future
Improvements that researchers will attempt to make in the future include:
Longer lifespan of the heart valves.
Lower rejection rate.
Less risk of blood clots in mechanical heart valves.
Remove the need for blood thinning medication.
Implant the artificial heart valves through a less intrusive method (currently open-heart surgery).

10. References
"Artificial Heart Valve." Wikipedia. N.p.. Web. 14 Oct <
"Biological Heart Valves." Cedars-Sinai. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct <
Dance, Amber. "Slide Show: 7 Artificial Valves That Lend Hearts a Helping Hand." Scientific American : n. page. Web. 14 Oct <
"Mechanical Heart Valves." cedars-sinai. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct <
"Mechanical Heart Valve." drexel.edu. N.p., Web. 14 Oct <