▁prost h etic ▁mit ral ▁val ve . ▁In fection ▁of ▁the ▁val ve ▁can ▁occur , ▁which ▁is ▁dangerous ▁and ▁difficult ▁to ▁treat . ▁Pat ients ▁with ▁mechanical ▁heart ▁val ves ▁are ▁required ▁to ▁take ▁blood ▁th inners ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁their ▁lives , ▁which ▁presents ▁a ▁risk ▁of ▁ble eding ▁comp lications . ▁The ▁artificial ▁mit ral ▁val ve ▁has ▁an ▁elev ated ▁risk ▁of ▁stroke . ▁Pat ients ▁with ▁mechanical ▁heart ▁val ves ▁who ▁use ▁war far in ▁for ▁ant ico ag ulation ▁have ▁to ▁be ▁on ▁long - term ▁ant ico ag ulation ▁ther apy . ▁ ▁This ▁means ▁they ▁must ▁go ▁to ▁the ▁clin ic ▁and ▁have ▁a ▁lab ▁blood ▁draw ▁done , ▁typically ▁once ▁a ▁month ▁but ▁more ▁frequently ▁if ▁the ▁level ▁needs ▁to ▁be ▁closely ▁monitor ed ▁until ▁it ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁th era pe ut ic ▁range . ▁ ▁The ▁th era pe ut ic ▁range ▁for ▁most ▁adult s ▁with ▁a ▁mechanical ▁val ve ▁is ▁an ▁IN R ▁of ▁ 2 . 5 – 3 . 5 . ▁Finally , ▁artificial ▁t issue ▁val ves ▁will ▁wear ▁out ▁– ▁on ▁average ▁last ing ▁between ▁ 1 0 ▁and ▁ 1 5 ▁years , ▁requiring ▁further ▁surg ery ▁at ▁an ▁advanced ▁age . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁past ▁two ▁dec ades , ▁some ▁sur ge ons ▁have ▁emb rac ed ▁surg ical ▁techniques ▁to ▁repair ▁the ▁dam aged ▁native ▁val ve , ▁rather ▁than ▁replace ▁it . ▁These ▁techniques ▁were ▁pione ered ▁by ▁a ▁French