Background and aim:
The ultimate goal of mitral valve surgery in young women is to extend
life expectancy and improve quality of life. Mitral valve
replacement (MVR) prosthesis in middle-aged women is a difficult choice
between the lifelong anticoagulation by mechanical prosthesis
versus the limited long-term durability of bioprosthesis. The current
trend towards reducing women’s age for
selecting bioprosthesis over mechanical prosthesis leads to a dilemma
for younger women decision making.1,2
The aim of this study was to compare the safety and freedom from
complications in pregnancy and survival rate after mitral valve
bioprosthesis versus mechanical prosthesis in young women for
whom mitral valve repair is not feasible or unsuitable.