Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.
Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
Tex Heart Inst J. 2022 Mar 1;49(2). doi: 10.14503/THIJ-20-7267.
Sixty years ago, 2 cardiac operations dramatically influenced the survival of patients with valvular heart disease. The replacement of an aortic valve by Dwight Harken and of a mitral valve by Albert Starr with mechanical caged-ball valves, both in 1960, was a true milestone in the history of cardiac surgery and the beginning of a long journey toward prosthetic valve replacement full of expectations, hopes, and dreams fulfilled. Caged-ball prostheses underwent numerous modifications in design and materials to improve reliability and prevent specific mechanical and thrombogenic complications. Clinical and pathologic experience gained during the past 6 decades has enabled the development of safe, durable, and minimally thrombogenic mechanical prostheses.
六十年前，两项心脏手术极大地影响了瓣膜性心脏病患者的生存率。1960 年，德怀特·哈肯（Dwight Harken）置换了主动脉瓣，艾伯特·斯塔尔（Albert Starr）置换了二尖瓣，均采用机械笼球瓣，这是心脏外科学史上的一个真正的里程碑，也是朝着充满期待、希望和梦想的人工瓣膜置换漫长旅程的开始。笼球假体在设计和材料上经历了多次改进，以提高可靠性并预防特定的机械和血栓形成并发症。过去六十年的临床和病理经验使安全、耐用和低血栓形成的机械假体得以发展。
