Mechanical Prosthesis X Biological Prosthesis: an Individualized and Shared Decision

Surgical valve interventions are performed primarily in patients with severe valve heart disease, with associated symptoms and/or anatomical/hemodynamic consequences, and no contraindication to the procedure. The choice of prosthetic valve should be based on a shared decision-making process that must account for the trade-offs between durability (and the need for reintervention), bleeding, and thromboembolism.

The manuscript: “Late Outcomes of Aortic Valve Replacement with Bioprosthesis and Mechanical Prosthesis” is an observational retrospective study intended to evaluate the long-term follow-up of patients (n=202) who underwent aortic valve replacement, comparing biological (65.3%) and mechanical prostheses (34.7%). The patients were relatively young (mean age: 49 years), with predominantly degenerative aortic valve disease. On the other hand, 22% of the study population had rheumatic disease, the most prevalent etiology of valve disease in Brazil.

[…]