Adult Echocardiography Practice Exam

If a bioprosthetic porcine valve is placed in the aortic position, what type of bioprosthetic graft is this called?

1. autograft

2. homograft

3. heterograft

4. synthetic graft

The correct answer is: heterograft

When a bioprosthetic porcine valve is placed in the aortic position, it is categorized as a heterograft. The term "heterograft" refers to tissue taken from a different species, which in this case is porcine (pig) tissue used in human patients. Bioprosthetic valves are designed to mimic the function of native heart valves and are often used in cases where mechanical valves might pose a higher risk of complications, such as in patients with a higher risk of thromboembolism or those who are not suitable for long-term anticoagulation therapy. Autografts involve the use of tissue from the same individual (such as a valve harvested from the patient's own body), while homografts (or allografts) are biological grafts taken from a donor of the same species. Synthetic grafts are manmade materials that serve as replacements but do not use biological tissues at all. Understanding this classification is important as it relates to the longevity, biocompatibility, and potential for rejection or calcification of the graft over time.