New PoliValve Heart Valve

The PoliValve is durable and would not require patients to take blood-thinning drugs, its creators say. An artificial heart valve has passed safety checks needed to enter human trials, raising hopes that it could transform open heart surgery for millions of patients each year. The existing options for patients are biological valves made from pig or cow tissue that last only 10 to 15 years, or mechanical valves that last longer but require patients to take blood-thinning tablets for the rest of their lives. The PoliValve, developed by scientists at the universities of Bristol and Cambridge, could last for up to 25 years according to results published in the journal Biomaterials Science. The way the blood flows through it should also reduce the risk of blood clots when compared with mechanical valves.