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The heart has four chambers,
two ventricles and two atriums
and four valves which ensure correct directional flow between these cavities.
These four valves: the aortic valve, the mitral valve, the tricuspid valve and the pulmonary valve,
all work to separate these cavities and ensure normal heart function.
When these valves are defective or become damaged, we are presented with two possibilities:
we can attempt to repair them
or replace them if it is determined that normal heart function has been too affected.
In the latter case, we have two types of artificial replacement valves at our disposal.
The first type is the mechanical heart valve, which is constructed of pyrolytic carbon;
the majority of this type of valve has two small flaps
flaps that permit blood flow.
The second type of valve is the biological heart valve.
These are porcine or bovine in origin and therefore similar to human valves,
and their similar structure also allows for normal blood flow.
The fundamental differences are that biological heart valves do not require life-long anticoagulant treatment
but they do deteriorate progressively over the course of time and have an approximate duration of about ten years.
Mechanical valves will last the entire lifetime of the patient,
but they also require lifelong anticoagulant medication treatment.