Valve replacement: Mechanical or tissue?

Ask the doctor [IMGCAP(1)] Q. I’m 66 and will be having my aortic valve replaced soon. My surgeon suggested a tissue valve, but he also mentioned that I could get a mechanical valve instead. What are the key differences between these two choices? A. In general, both types of replacement valves work very well. But there are pros and cons with each one. Historically, a person’s age has been the main…