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On-X For Mitral Heart Valve Replacement?
Posted By Adam Pick On August 27, 2008 @ 8:45 am In Heart Surgery Options | 11 Comments
Vivan has severe mitral regurgitation [1] and is preparing for mitral valve replacement surgery [2]. She is currently considering several different valve types (tissue, homograft, mechanical) and valve brands (Edwards, Medtronic and St. Jude Medical).
Vivian’s question to me is, “Adam – Can you tell me about the On-X valve for mitral valve replacement?”

For those of you who are not familiar with the On-X heart valve device for mitral replacement, here is some basic information for you:
As for its valve offerings, the On-X® Prosthetic Heart Valve for mitral replacement is a pure carbon bileaflet heart valve prosthesis. One of the most interesting attractions of the On-X valve is that in January of 2006, the FDA approved the first-and-only IDE (Investigational Device Exemption) lowered anticoagulation trial for a mechanical valve to be conducted at 40 sites in the United States for the On-X® Prosthetic Heart Valve.
The patient groups in the PROACT (Prospective Randomized On-X Clinical Trial) study include a non-warfarin group of low-risk aortic valve replacement patients [4] and two low-dose warfarin groups of higher risk aortic and mitral valve replacement patients.
In case you missed that did not make sense… The significance of the On-X trial is that patients may obtain the benefits of a mechanical valve (duration, lower reoperation) without the risks of clotting problems due to lower Coumadin (Warfarin) dosages [5]. I have also heard that some patients are taking Plavix / aspirin instead of Coumadin in an ongoing On-X trial.
According to the company, over 50,000 On-X valves have been implanted since 1996.
I hope this give you some background on the On-X valve for mitral replacement. Over the years, I have spoken with many patients that are happy with their selection of the On-X valve. If you have an On-X replacement valve, please Leave A Comment [6] below and let us know your thoughts!
Keep on tickin!

Article printed from Adam's Heart Valve Surgery Blog: http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/heart-surgery-blog
URL to article: http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/heart-surgery-blog/2008/08/27/on-x-for-mitral-valve-replacement/
URLs in this post:
[1] severe mitral regurgitation: http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/mitral-valve-regurgitation-symptoms-leaking.php
[2] mitral valve replacement surgery: http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/mitral-valve-replacement-surgery.php
[3] On-X valve website: http://www.onxlti.com/onxlti-heart-valve.html
[4] low-risk aortic valve replacement patients: http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/aortic-valve-replacement-surgery.php
[5] lower Coumadin (Warfarin) dosages: http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/coumadin-therapy-valve-replacement.php
[6] Leave A Comment: http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/heart-surgery-blog/2008/08/27/on-x-for-mitral-valve-replacement/#respond
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