Patterns of use and durability for the Mitroflow aortic valve: a systematic review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate durability of Mitroflow and patterns of use compared with other aortic valves we performed a systematic review of the literature. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A total of 52 papers that included 33,630 patients met eligibility requirements that allowed summary statistical information to be determined regarding structural valve degeneration risk. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Mitroflow has been disporportionately implanted in patients to be at higher risk for structural valve degeneration. CONCLUSIONS: Since Mitroflow valves were implanted more often in these high-risk patients, it was impossible to distinguish the effects of valve size or gender from valve type on structural valve degeneration risk.