Bracher M, Simionescu D, Simionescu A, Davies N, Human P, Zilla P
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cape Heart Centre, University of Cape Town Medical School, Cape Town, South Africa.
J Long Term Eff Med Implants. 2001;11(3-4):221-30.
Bioprosthetic heart valves have been used as replacements for diseased heart valves for over 30 years. More than 50% of bioprosthetic valves fail within 15 years because of structural deterioration. The role of proteolytic degradation, with particular reference to the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the degeneration of aortic bioprostheses, is appraised in this minireview. It is clear that both the intrinsic and host-derived proteolytic activities present in heart-valve bioprostheses may combine with mechanical stress to bring about valve failure.
