Allograft valves for aortic and mitral valve replacement.

Overview

Allograft valves have been used in cardiac valve replacement for 35 years. During much of this time, certain centers have used allograft aortic valves for aortic valve replacement and have reported excellent long-term results. After an initial period of failure using allograft mitral valves for mitral valve replacement, the technical problems of papillary muscle dehiscence and mitral regurgitation appear minimized by current investigators who now report encouraging early results. The current status of allograft use for aortic and mitral valve replacement is reviewed.