Starr-Edwards Aortic Heart Valve Prosthesis

Starr-Edwards Aortic Heart Valve Prosthesis

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Description (Brief)
The Starr Edwards was the first artificial valve to use the caged ball design. This example, model number 2320, was used to replace diseased aortic valves. The valve is still sealed in its original plastic casing, and has never been opened. The struts and the sewing ring are covered with Polyproplylene over Teflon cloth. Because the style of the caged ball valve differed greatly from the form of a natural valve, Starr described it as, "a repugnant intracardiac appliance." The valve model was manufactured between 1967 and 1976. It was used extensively worldwide, and there are reports of this valve still functioning twenty-five years after implantation. However, one of its problems was wear and breakdown of the cloth covering, sometimes tearing and causing blood clots. It has the advantage of good hemodynamics and durability, but the disadvantage of having to take anti-coagulants/blood thinners to prevent clotting. This valve was occasionally noisy.
The Starr Edwards is valve was manufactured by American Edwards Laboratories, a company founded by Dr. Albert Starr, MD (1926- ) of Bellevue Hospital of Columbia University, and Lowell Edwards (1889-1982), a semi-retired engineer from the University of Oregon. The two collaborators began to develop their original Starr-Edwards valve in 1958.
Dr. Starr did his residency at Johns Hopkins, where the famed Blalock and Taussig pioneering operation to treat children born with the heart malformation tetralogy of Fallotoperation. While there, he also worked with Dr. Denton Cooley.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
cardiology
artificial heart valve
date made
1967-1976
maker
American Edwards Laboratories
place made
United States: California, Santa Ana
Physical Description
polypropylene (valve material)
stellite (valve material)
plastic (container material)
Measurements
container: 6.2 cm; 2 7/16 in
ID Number
2015.0031.17
catalog number
2015.0031.17
accession number
2015.0031
model number
2320
serial number
H7917
Credit Line
Gift of Manuel Villafaña
subject
Cardiology
Artificial Organs
Prosthesis
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Medicine
Artificial Heart Valves
Health & Medicine
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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Comments

My husband’s valve is 51 years old and was installed in March of 1971. Yes, it will create clots. It’s a very strong valve!

Lisa

Fri, 2022-03-11 16:47

Curious as to how many of these valves are still running? What is the long term prognosis for people that still have them? My father had one put in in 1969 and it is still functioning. Is it possible that this many years later it could be throwing off micro clots?

Kim kendall

Mon, 2017-11-06 16:34

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