The evolution of bioprosthetic heart valve design and its impact on durability.

Bioprosthetic heart valves have evolved over the years into remarkably useful and predictable devices. During this process, a number of specific designs have come and gone, and a few have remained. Many design changes were successful, and many were not. This article will describe the successes and failures of the various bioprosthetic valve designs and will detail the specific reasons why a particular design change succeeded or failed to improve bioprosthetic valve performance.