QUESTION: Can you please tell me where they get all the new valves that are placed inside of human hearts.
Do they come from organ donations given by people who have died? I am very curious to find out about this.
I am 12 years old and want to be a doctor someday.
ANSWER: Your curiosity will serve you well in your future profession.
Only one type of valve, of the many types that exist, comes from a human organ. There are two main types of valves used in modern valve replacement surgery. They are classified as mechanical and tissue.
The mechanical valves come in several forms, including one shaped like a cage in which a ball moves to and fro to control the flow of blood.
There are two other types, named for the way they function, a tilting disk and a type that has two leaflets that open and close a bit like a door.
There are also three tissue types, a treated heart valve made from a pig's heart, another fashioned from the lining of a cow's heart, and finally a preserved valve taken from the heart of a human cadaver (a dead body).
Though the mechanical hearts last longer, they also allow blood clots to form, and so the patient must take medicine that keeps the blood thin.
The tissue valves don't have that problem, but they tend to wear out faster.
You can see we haven't invented the perfect heart valve yet, so it is important to take care of those you were born with.
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
