Current Evidence for Prosthesis Selection: What Can We Really Say?

The Stanford University cardiac surgery team expounds on current evidence for selection of prostheses in valve replacement. While more liberal usage of biologic prostheses in younger patients may be appropriate for the aortic valve, the support for this practice in the mitral position is not as strong. The enthusiasm for biologic valve implantation in the mitral position for young patients should be tempered. As transcatheter technologies continue to develop, the risk-benefit trade-off between biologic and mechanical valves will evolve. However, until procedural safety and long term durability is proven, reliance on these technologies as a routine salvage procedure may be overly optimistic.