All about the cow....

I know some of you have been wondering where Sam's cow valve came from. Was it from a male/female cow....was it grass fed....was it just raised for valves...and so on. I did some research and talked to Dr. Bolling about it today.

First off, the valve isn't taken from the cows actual heart valve. It is manufactured from the pericardial sack (the tough tissue sac that surrounds the heart of a cow) and then processed into the proper shape.

They are chemically treated for transplantation from animal to human. Humans respond very well to this procedure since there are similarities in the tissue composition. Research shows cow valves are used more in younger patients as they tend to last longer than pig valves and can last up to 20+ years. Dr. Bolling thinks Sam's valve will last 17+ years and we are hoping by then the replacement surgery will be less invasive.

For now Sam is unsure about eating beef ;)