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34-Year durability of a DeBakey Surgitool mechanical aortic valve prosthesis

Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany

*Corresponding author: Tel.: +49 89 70955633; fax: +49 89 70952635.

E-mail address: Andres.Beiras{at}med.uni-muenchen.de (A. Beiras-Fernandez).

Background: The DeBakey Surgitool mechanical aortic valve prosthesis was the first mechanical prosthetic valve in which pyrolitic carbon was used. This valve was on the market from 1969 to 1978 and approximately 3300 valves were implanted in this lapse worldwide. Report: We present a DeBakey Surgitool mechanical aortic valve prosthesis implanted in 1972, which has been functioning for almost 34 years and still presents a good performance. Comment: Spontaneous strut fractures associated with haemodynamic complications and death, even in asymptomatic patients, was the reason to withdraw this prosthetic valve from the market. However, a prophylactic replacement of DeBakey Surgitool valve was not indicated in our patient due to the excellent prosthesis compliance.

Key Words: Aortic valve replacement; Mechanical prosthesis; Durability; Surgitool DeBakey