As a follow-up to my post about pig valve replacements, I received a specific question, "Do you know exactly how long a pig valve might last in the human heart?"

I just received a patient question that reads, "Adam, can you tell me more about pig valve transplants? My surgeon thinks that is the best valve choice for me."

I just received a great question via email. In fact, this particular question brought back memories to when I was first diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and told that I needed heart valve replacement surgery.

Hey everybody,

"What is that thing Adam is holding in his hand?" you may wondering.

I wake up pretty early. Usually no later than 5:30am. Robyn (my wife) stays in bed while I make the coffee. A few minutes later, I'm in my office turning on my computer.

I don't know about you...

Are you seeing what I'm seeing in the world of heart valve manufacturers?

Alright everybody...

This is really great news...

I'm on day three of my work trip through Japan. The jet lag is still overwhelming considering I live in Los Angeles. That said, I've had a few early morning hours to dig through my inbox and answer patient questions. I just received an interesting question about life expectancy after heart surgery. It reads, "Hi Adam: Thanks so much for your website! Do you know what the life expectancy is for patients after heart valve surgery?"

A great topic... Heart Valve Manufacturers.

This was news to me...

There are a lots and lots of questions that race through a patient's mind when he or she is diagnosed as "needing heart valve replacement surgery".

I just received a fantastic question. The question reads, "Adam... Do you know how big our heart valves are?"

Finally, somewhat of an easy question… (You guys have been tough on me lately!)

I don't know about you... But, when I was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and valve regurgitation I became a heart valve research fanatic. I read up on every possible heart valve option, surgical procedure, the top cardiothoracic surgeons, etc.

Yes. It's true... For patients requiring heart valve replacement surgery, one of your surgical options will be a pig valve replacement (also known as a porcine valve and a bioprosthetic heart valve).

As we've talked about before, Coumadin (Warfarin Sodium) is used by patients following heart valve replacement in which mechanical heart valves are selected by the patient and/ or surgeon. You can click here to learn more about Coumadin medication and its long-term use for preventing blood clots on mechanical heart valves following heart valve surgery.

There are several choices a patient will make as they prepare for heart valve replacement surgery - the surgeon, the hospital, the procedure, where to recover, etc. For those patients who chose to have a tissue valve replacement, the question ultimately becomes, "Which tissue valve should I chose?" and "Which manufacturer makes the best valve for me?"