Mechanical vs. Bioprosthetic Heart Valve Replacements

Patients diagnosed with a severe heart valve defect - that is not repairable - will face a very important question, "Which is the right type of heart valve replacement for me?" There are two different types of heart valve replacement devices - mechanical and bioprosthetic (also referred to as biological or tissue valve). To learn more about the pros and cons of each type of heart valve replacement, we met with Dr. Marc Gillinov, Chairman of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. During his extraordinary career, Dr. Gillinov has performed over 5,000 heart valve operations. (Video posted on October 30, 2023)