Body donation as a grateful gift for a long and active life with a Björk-Shiley valve.
Kevin RudolphCarlos GalvezJulie ChangAnette WuCamilla GölkelSimon Harald SündermannHeike KielsteinPublished in: Journal of cardiac surgery (2020)
An 87-year-old patient donated his body to the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology in gratefulness for the longevity of a Björk-Shiley convexo-concave (BSCC) prosthetic aortic valve, implanted 34 years ago. The dissection of the enlarged heart showed no major signs of thrombosis, malignant fibrosis, or any other relevant issue that could potentially lead to valve failure as in other patients. Despite the reported high mortality rate of the earlier designs, especially of the BSCC valves, some patients survived for longer than expected. In more than 34 years after the BSCC valve implantation, the patient was a very active and lively man, working both as full-time and volunteer firefighter. The lifespan of this BSCC valve is among the longest reported.
Keyphrases
- aortic valve
- aortic stenosis
- ejection fraction
- aortic valve replacement
- transcatheter aortic valve replacement
- end stage renal disease
- transcatheter aortic valve implantation
- mitral valve
- newly diagnosed
- chronic kidney disease
- peritoneal dialysis
- case report
- pulmonary embolism
- cardiovascular disease
- prognostic factors
- risk factors
- coronary artery disease
- atrial fibrillation
- kidney transplantation