Cardiac valve replacement--an update

Even though artificial heart valve implants have a history of some 30 years, there is to this day no ideal valve substitute. Each of the categories of substitutes used has its own advantages as well as problems. Since my last review on the subject, that appeared in this journal, was some 13 years ago (Lim, 1977), it is perhaps appropriate to provide an update on the status of cardiac valve replacement for the general local readership.