How long does a replacement aortic valve last?

Are you about to undergo an aortic valve replacement surgery and wondering how long the replacement valve will last? Well, look no further because we’ve got all the juicy details for you.

First things first, let’s dive into what exactly aortic valve replacement is. This procedure involves replacing a damaged or diseased heart valve with an artificial one. The new prosthetic valve can either be mechanical, made of materials such as titanium or carbon-based alloys, or biological, derived from animal tissue.

Now that we know what it is let’s get down to business- how long does this miracle marvel last in our hearts and lives? Here’s everything you need to know:

What Influences The Lifespan Of An Aortic Valve Replacement

Several factors play critical roles in determining the longevity of your new heart valve. These include:

Type of Prosthesis Used

The prosthesis used plays a vital role in determining how long it lasts. A bioprosthetic (tissue) heart valve generally lasts 8-20 years; while mechanical valves may last much longer with some reports exceeding 25 years.

Age at Time of Surgery

Age also factors into the lifespan of your newly acquired heart valves: younger people tend to outlive their implants compared to older individuals who may not enjoy as many post-operative years due mainly to their age-related physiological wear-and-tear effects on tissues and organs.

Overall Health Condition

Your general health condition impacts both pre-op ablutions & post-op prognosis; bad habits are likely going lead among other things towards reduced implant durability.

Types of Heart Valves

Before discussing the average life expectancy expected from each type – especially when under normal use-, here are two types most commonly used according to Mayo-Clinic :

  1. Biological Tissue-Based Valves:
    These valves are crosslinked animal tissues (usually pig or cow) that have been chemically treated to inhibit their rejection by the transplantee’s body. The sturdiness of these heart valves is relatively good with moderate valvular function conditions expected over 12-15 years.

  2. Mechanical Valves:

Mechanical valves, such as those made of pyrolitic carbon, tend to deteriorate less compared with biological tissue-based replacements hence considered sturdy options for younger people; this type of valve can last upwards of 20 years in some publications exceeding three decades.

Warning Signs

Just like your car and house appliances give warning signs before keeling over completely, the implanted artificial aortic valve will give you signals before requiring surgical intervention in case it needs replacing.

Look out for changes in several symptoms such as chest pain, shortness/difficulty breathing , slowed heart rate (Bradycardia), swelling often referred to as “edema” among others indicating possible congestive heart failure referencing American Heart Association’s listing on similar afflictions .

Common Causes Of Replacement Aortic Valve Failure

The following are common causes why your new valve may fail quicker than anticipated:

Calcification

A buildup of minerals on the prosthesis surface which can cause pressure restriction due to limited movements within the cardiovascular system paths especially when flow friction builds up after time . Eventually they could become so bulky that there is no longer any room left along artery’s passageways ; yet something has got[a comi]c twist – elevated concentrations may even turn valves bright yellow.

Wear & Tear

Whether mechanical or biological based: extended wear-and-tear deteriorates structural integrity eventually needing repairment or outright replacement having gone through its best functionality lies ahead.

Infections/Rejection By Your Body’s Immune System.

Your immune system battles against implants perceived foreign invader whilst trying protecting you exposing defects/malfunctions manifesting leading to ineffectual response – this is one cause of valvular replacement failure, unforeseeable and ticking time bomb.

Natural Biological Degeneration.

It’s inevitable, your hardware will wear over time or outlast you on the seat turning metal to rust if it’s mechanical or break down if biological.

Risk-By Sex

Many studies reveal that women tend to experience quicker valve deterioration than men. Why? It’s thought that the differences in body physiology may impact how long the graft lasts; more studies have been conducted to determine just what cellular processes are leading towards such difference.

Conclusion:

The longevity of a replacement aortic valve depends mostly on several factors but specifically based mainly on invasive procedure and type-of-prosthesis as well other mentioned conditions which include age at operation time: younger people are generally more able-bodied whilst older individual might necessitate reparations sooner rather than later thus needing be taken into account when scheduling next check up with professional cardiologist. So hang onto these helpful tips about duration span until potential need of another transplant: 15-25 years for a bioprosthetic valve vs.mechnical protheses whereas may last 20+ yeasr.Either case acceptance can’t be guaranteed however familiarizing oneself risks will help make informed choices concerning surgical replacements involving heart valves moving forward .

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