Prophylactic explantation of Björk-Shiley convexo-concave (BSCC) prosthetic heart valves has been performed in response to the potential risk for structural failure of the valve. Aside from assessing postoperative mortality, the follow up experience of explant patients has not been characterized. We thus compared self-rated quality of life and health measures among 31 explant patients and 554 patients who retained their valves, after an average of four years of follow up. Although the explant patients were more likely to report subjective improvements in their health status during follow up, they reported similar or higher rates of heart attack and pacemaker implantation than did non-explant patients. Over half of all participants reported being hospitalized during follow up, and half reported breathing difficulties after walking up more than one flight of stairs. Of explant patients, 54% reported worrying the same or more about their valve since explantation. The less than optimal health status of most BSCC patients and relatively high rates of morbidity should be taken into account when considering potential explantation of the valves.