In patients with severe aortic valve stenosis, the amount of myocardial fibrosis appears to have significant effect on clinical status and long-term survival after aortic valve replacement. From these results, we believe that new strategies for the earlier detection of myocardial fibrosis are needed to achieve a better prognostic outcome.

In normally functioning prosthetic heart valves, subclinical hemolysis is a frequent finding. A low incidence of hemolysis is found in stented biologic prostheses, and it is absent in stentless aortic valves. Modifications of valve design may contribute to minimize the occurrence of hemolysis in mechanical prostheses.

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