What is Mechanical heart valves (MHV) ?

** Mechanical heart valves  are prosthetics 

conceived to replicate the function of the natural 

valves of the human heart.

** There are two rudimentary types of valves that 

can be utilised for valve replacement, mechanical 

and tissue valves.

** Tissue heart valves do not need the use of 

anticoagulant pharmaceuticals due to the advanced 

body-fluid flow dynamics resulting in less red cell 

impairment and therefore less clot formation.

** present mechanical heart valves all need lifelong 

treatment with anticoagulants (body-fluid 

thinners), e.g. warfarin, which needs monthly 

body-fluid checks to supervise.

Types of mechanical heart valves

** There are three foremost kinds of mechanical 

valves: 

- caged-ball, 

- tilting-disk, 

- bileaflet,

** Artificial heart valves have been clinically 

accessible for over 50 years with early designs 

comprising of either a caged ball or a tilting disk.

** This kind of valve has a large upright profile 

that makes implantation, especially in the mitral 

place, rather tough for many patients whose 

anatomical space is limited.