Study note

Prosthetic heart valves: types and auscultatory findings

THE CONTEXT

Diseased heart valves may be replaced with mechanical or biological prostheses, which differ in their usual heart sounds.

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The three main mechanical prostheses are ball-and-cage, tilting single-disc and tilting bileaflet valves.

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All mechanical prostheses generate prosthetic sounds or clicks on auscultation.

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Common biological prostheses include pig or allograft valves mounted on a supporting stent.

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Biological valves generate near-normal heart sounds.

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All prosthetic valves used in the aortic position produce a systolic flow murmur.

NEETx

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