Artificial heart valves are helpful for individuals who are suffering from heart valve diseases. Heart valve diseases cause abnormal functionality of the heart, making it difficult for it to pump the required quantity of blood needed for the body. The human heart has four valves, which function as direction control valves. They ensure that the blood flow from the heart is always in the forward direction.
Opting for Artificial Heart Valves
Choosing for artificial heart valves is an option to ensure that the heart is functioning in its appropriate manner. Artificial heart valves are available in mechanical and tissue format. Choosing between the both depends on several factors, and the doctor considers opting for an appropriate artificial valve based on the patient’s condition. The factors include the age of the patient, gender, damage caused to the heart valve, its location, and the risks involved in the replacement.
In many of the cases, doctors opt for mechanical valves for younger patients because of the durable lifespan. However, these patients continue intake of anticoagulant medicines to prevent blood clots due to the placement of the mechanical valve. On the other hand, selection of the tissue valve is suitable for seniors given that the lifespan of the valve is approximately 15 years. Mechanical valves are available made from different materials. However, pig’s heart valve is the source of tissue valve due to its close resemblance to the human heart. The pics heart valve undergoes a series of chemical tests in the laboratory to ensure that the patient does not develop infections after the replacement.
How Much Do Artificial Heart Valves Cost?
What is the cost of artificial heart valves? Obtaining accurate details related to the prices of artificial heart valves is a difficult task. It is not possible for individuals to run to the local market and purchase a valve or order a pic valve from Amazon. They are available at the hospitals, and the specialist alone can determine which valve will be suitable for the patient. Regardless of this, the following is some of the anecdotal information related to the pricing of the artificial heart valves:
- According to sales representatives, both mechanical and tissue valves are available at $5,000.
- According to cardiac surgeons, there is a particular list price for the valves, and there are hospital-specific prices. It is possible for heart valve replacement to fluctuate by several 1000 dollars. In the end, the average cost of replacement ranges between $5,000 and $7,000.
- Another surgeon stated that the heart valve replacement ranges between $2,000 and $10,000.
- The new transcatheter solution, like that of the Edward’s Sapien Valve, will cost $25,000.
Given the anecdotal of the pricing, it is common for any individual to react and have different thoughts. One may think that it is plenty of money while the other can feel that it is reasonable enough to keep him or her alive for the next 20 or 30 years. In many circumstances, patients often think for the later one.
It is essential that individuals remember that heart valves fall into the category of life sciences product. All of the leading manufacturers of the artificial heart valves spend billions of dollars in research and development before they start earning profits on a product. Since the initial input of the R&D is high, the product costs are high in the beginning. However, over a period, the begin to decrease. The best example is that of the computers where the selling price, in the beginning, was around $4,000.
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