My SIL just had a valve put in. He was born without valves, some of them... Had some work done early on, but had this last one to do and had decided to let nature take it course once he turned 20. Met our daughter and he decided life was worth living and had it done several years ago. He was very sickly looking before. Once the last one was put in, he grew about 5 inches in his 20s and is healthy looking. Its a pig valve and will have to be replaced within 10 years, but they can do it through a artery.. His condition was for the medical books, very rare. My daughter, #2, was born with a wall missing in the lower chamber, along with other things. Took 2 surgeries to fix it. She's now a police officer and very healthy. They took her left arm artery to do repairs, but that's fine too.. They told me her fingers might fall off....but they didn't. Amazing what they can do to fix hearts now...