Experimental mitral valve replacement with a heterograft aortic valve in a rigid metal ring.

A mitral valve replacement is described in which a heterograft (pig) aortic valve is supported in a rigid metal ring having three spurs to support the commissures. The ring frame is completely covered by the heterograft, and no artificial material is in contact with the blood stream. Completely fabricated and tested for competency beforehand, it requires only one row of interrupted sutures—after the manner of the Starr-Edwards prosthesis—for insertion, and can be used in either the mitral or the aortic position. Experimental results in the dog indicate that the valve may require only temporary anticoagulation to cover the immediate post-operative period.