BACKGROUND Tissue degeneration and calcification are the two chief obstacles to the successful application of bioprosthetic heart valves. To enable the study of the durability of bioprosthetic heart valves and the efficacy of anti-calcification treatment, it has become necessary to develop animal models. The aim of this study is to validate a new model for implantation in the pulmonary position...

Just as the previous decade has witnessed the maturity of percutaneous and surgical therapies for coronary artery disease, the next decade is likely to witness a tremendous change in our approach to therapy for heart valve disease. Already, we have seen a remarkable growth of percutaneously implanted heart valves in Europe and a number of novel devices being developed for repair or replacement ...

BACKGROUND Cardiac disease in pregnancy is a common problem in under-resourced countries and a significant cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. A large proportion of patients with cardiac disease have prosthetic mechanical heart valve replacements, warranting prophylactic anticoagulation. AIM To evaluate obstetric outcomes in women with prosthetic heart valves in an under-resourced coun...