Porcine frame mounted valve. Initial clinical implants began 1979. There are 2 pericardial valves which have been used in significant numbers of patients. The first of these was the Ionescu-Shiley pericardial valve which is no longer available for implantation. The second, and currently used, valve is the Carpentier-Edwards Pericardial valve.
Pericardial valve is the most recently approved tissue valve in the United States.
The only difference in the X-ray appearance is in the placement of the small metal cylinder which joins the ends of the wire stent loop together. In the CE Pericardial valve, this cylinder is located in the middle of one of the stent post loops. In the CE Porcine valve, the post is located at the base of one of the loops. It has primarily displaced mechanical valves in this group of patients. A recent meta-analysis of durability data by Dr. Gary Grunkemeier demonstrates that the durability of the CE Pericardial valve is at least as good as standard porcine valves at 10 years.