A mechanical (or artificial) heart valve is a device that is used to replace one of a patient’s own damaged or diseased heart valves that cannot be repaired. A biological valve, from either an animal (xenograft) or a deceased human donor (allograft), may also be used to replace the patient’s original valve. In all, about 60,000 heart valves are replaced every year in the United States, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Of these, the majority are mechanical valves. 

In most cases, the use of a mechanical heart valve can lengthen or even save a patient’s life. The valves are durable and can last 20 to 30 years or longer. However, there is a risk of complications, depending on the kind of valve used and its position in the heart. The most serious complications include blood clots that form on the surface of the valve, so patients will need to take anticoagulants for the rest of their lives. 

Patients are also urged to record the make, model and serial number of their mechanical heart valve in case there are any problems with it in the future.