{"id":2532,"date":"2010-09-03T10:37:44","date_gmt":"2010-09-03T15:37:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/?p=2532"},"modified":"2025-06-06T10:24:23","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T15:24:23","slug":"how-big-is-a-mechanical-heart-valve-asks-jenny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2010\/09\/03\/how-big-is-a-mechanical-heart-valve-asks-jenny\/","title":{"rendered":"“How Big Is A Mechanical Heart Valve Replacement?” Asks Jenny"},"content":{"rendered":"

I just received an interesting question from Jenny about the size of a mechanical heart valve replacement.<\/p>\n

Jenny writes to me, “Adam – Like many patients on your blog, I’m preparing for aortic valve replacement. I’m young, 29, with a bicuspid aortic valve<\/a> that has severe stenosis<\/a>. I’m thinking a mechanical valve is the best option for me. However, I can’t stop thinking about the little device clicking away<\/a> in my heart. Quick question… Do you know the size of a mechanical heart valve? Thanks, Jenny”<\/p>\n

There are a few ways to answer Jenny’s question. On one hand, I could assemble a table which contains the different sizes of mechanical valves — by diameter and by surface area. However, I often think the cliche, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, is more appropriate. That said, a mechanical valve is about this big…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Pretty neat picture, right?<\/p>\n

However, I thought Jenny might want to learn the actual dimensions of an actual heart valve replacement<\/a>. That said, I asked Eric Roselli, MD, from The Cleveland Clinic, to help educate Jenny (and the rest of our community) about aortic valve replacement sizes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Dr.
\nDr. Eric Roselli<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Here is Dr. Roselli’s response to the question, “How big is a mechanical aortic valve replacement?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The diameter of an aortic mechanical heart valve replacements is between 17 millimeters (mm) to 33mm. The most common replacements are between 21mm and 25mm.” — Dr. Eric Roselli, M.D.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 
\n 
\nWhile I could not find a picture of the different sizes of mechanical valves, here is a picture showing the different sizes of tissue valves.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I hope that helps Jenny (and all of us) learn more about the size of mechanical aortic heart valves.<\/p>\n

Related Links:<\/p>\n