Mechanical or metallic valves.
These are devices made from durable metals, carbon, ceramics or plastic composites. A fabric ring made of Dacron or Teflon is used to attach such valves to the patient’s heart. The durability of such valves is major advantage. They last for a much longer time. Their drawback is that is not natural to the body they may cause blood colt formation around them. The choice of valve depends on many factors. The surgeon will consider the patient’s age, extent of valve damage, size of the valve and whether the patient can take anticoagulants for a lifetime. Visiting the doctor regularly is necessary for patients with artificial valves.