Artificial heart valve testing in goats.

The Björk-Shiley monostrut valve, with a modified surface, was implanted in mitral position in 72 goats. An unhurried technique of isolated sutures through the wafer-thin base of the completely excised mitral valve in the beating heart at normothermia gave consecutive long-term survival in the goats without anticoagulation--up to one year. From the first postoperative day the goats lived freely on a farm, and one gave birth to two kids 6 months after valve replacement. These tests have hitherto been successful, but further hemodynamic testing and studies of explants are necessary for decisions concerning the applicability of the modified Björk-Shiley monostrut valve.