A Braunwald-Cutter valve: a mitral prosthesis at 33 years

We present a case of a 76-year-old woman with a Braunwald-Cutter mitral caged-ball valve prosthesis excised after 33 years post implantation due to a paravalvular leak. The valve itself was intact and fully functional. We believe the longevity of this valve was due to the decreased flow velocities and the lower pressure in the mitral valve position.