[ludicast]

I'm not a doctor, but I have had valve-sparing aortic root replacement surgery done myself. think the reason the valve wasn't done was maybe

1) it's a big decision that the surgeon might not have felt comfortable making

2) there are safer valve replacements coming out (neither metal nor animal) that the FDA (in America) should eventually be approving. This caused one surgeon I'd spoken to to wisely delay the decision. Perhaps this article is describing the specific valve but it seemed to be metal.

3) I dont know how bad the regurgitation is on the valve, it might not have been time

My 0.02 - see the absolute best surgeon you can get for this (in NYC his name is Takayama, don't know where you are). And depending on your root/valve dance, get a "gated ct-scan" rather then a run of the mill that most doctors recommend.