Modified Porous Metal-Surfaced Björk-Shiley Monostrut Heart Valve: Long-term Study in Goats without Anticoagulation

To diminish the risk of thrombosis on a mechanical heart valve without anticoagulation, specific areas of the valve ring should be polished, as thrombosis has not been found to start there. By limiting the porous-surfaced area to the groove and the adjacent part of the flange, the thin endothelialized covering of the carbonized suture ring will continue over the groove and top of the flange to the high-flow area. As the high-flow areas that are not completely covered with the neointima, i.e. the struts and the vertical or central portion of the valve ring, are at increased risk of bacterial invasion if their surface is porous, they should be left uncoated and polished.