再次直视心脏瓣膜置换术疗效分析

目的 总结再次直视心脏瓣膜置换术的治疗体会.方法 2002年1月至2009年12月完成再次直视心脏瓣膜置换术104例,占同期瓣膜置换手术的2.92%(104/3557).男性53例,女性51例,年龄13～72岁,平均(46±14)岁.心功能(NYHA分级)Ⅱ级7例,Ⅲ级67例,Ⅳ级30例.其中二尖瓣或主动脉瓣置换术后其他瓣膜病变28例,二尖瓣瓣膜成形术后再发二尖瓣关闭不全10例,瓣周漏19例,生物瓣衰败7例,先天性心脏病矫治术再发瓣膜病变18例,人工瓣膜心内膜炎10例,人工瓣膜机械功能障碍9例,其他3例.再次手术方式包括二尖瓣和主动脉瓣双瓣置换2例,二尖瓣置换59例,主动脉瓣置换24例,三尖瓣置换16例,Bentall术3例.两次手术间隔1个月～19年.结果 全组早期死亡8例,早期死亡主要原因为术后低心排血量综合征、肾功能不全或多脏器功能衰竭,病死率7.7%.术中大出血2例,术后再次开胸止血2例,胸骨正中切口感染1例.随访3个月～7年2个月,平均3年4个月.晚期死亡2例,1例抗凝过量颅内出血,另1例原因不明.其余存活患者术后半年随访心功能(NYHA分级)Ⅰ级67例,Ⅱ级27例.结论 再次换瓣手术如恰当掌握手术时机、术中加强心肌保护、保证准确的手术操作、注重围手术期处理,临床近、远期效果满意.     

二尖瓣狭窄分离术后晚期复发病人瓣膜置换术278例分析

目的　探讨风湿性二尖瓣狭窄闭式扩张分离术后晚期复发瓣膜的病理改变 ,及其再次手术方式的选择。方法　 1978年 12月至 2 0 0 1年 12月共收治风湿性二尖瓣狭窄闭式扩张分离术后晚期复发性瓣膜病 2 78例。二尖瓣复发性病变均以狭窄为主合并不同程度的关闭不全。其中合并三尖瓣功能性关闭不全 12 7例 (4 5 7% ) ,合并复发性主动脉瓣病变 33例 (11 9% ) ;二尖瓣与主动脉瓣双瓣膜病变合并三尖瓣病变 6 1例 (2 1 9% )。二尖瓣复发性病变的病理特点主要表现为 (1)交界硬化融合型 4 6例 (16 5 % ) ;(2 )后瓣钙化卷缩型 18例 (6 5 % ) ;(3)交界钙化融合型 177例 (6 3 7% ) ;(4 )瓣膜与瓣下结构钙化型 37例(13 3% )。所有病人均行二尖瓣置换术 ,其中二尖瓣与主动脉瓣双瓣置换术 33例 ;三尖瓣功能性关闭不全作改良DeVega成形术 137例、Kay二瓣化环缩术加用成形环固定 5 1例。 结果　早期死亡 19例(6 8% ) ,主要死因为心力衰竭与多脏器功能衰竭。长期生存 2 5 9例 ,随访率 95 7% ,随访 6个月～ 2 2年 ,累计随访时间 116 2 2年。晚期死亡 15例 ,累计生存率 5、10、15年分别为 85 5 %、71 2 %、6 5 1%。抗凝过量出血的发生率为 1 11%病人·年。结论　风湿性二尖瓣狭窄闭式扩张术后晚期瓣膜复发性病变 ,再次     

重症心脏瓣膜病的外科治疗

目的总结重症心脏瓣膜病的外科治疗结果,探讨提高早期生存率的措施。方法自2000年6月至2005年7月,对78例重症心脏瓣膜病患者施行瓣膜替换术。其中单纯二尖瓣置换12例,二尖瓣置换 三尖瓣成形22例,单纯主动脉瓣置换8例,二尖瓣 主动脉瓣置换 三尖瓣成形35例,二尖瓣置换 冠状动脉旁路移植术1例。结果死亡6例,其中术后并发低心排血量5例,心室颤动治疗无效死亡1例,死亡率7.69%。随访53例,平均随访2.5年,死亡5例。结论对重症心脏瓣膜病患者,注重改善术前心功能,掌握手术时机,尽量保留瓣下组织,选择合适瓣膜,重视围手术期处理,可提高手术成功率。     

儿童心脏瓣膜置换手术及其疗效

目的探讨儿童心脏瓣膜置换手术及治疗效果。方法1990年1月至2002年12月，45例14岁以下儿童施行了心脏瓣膜置换手术。其中男26例，女19例。年龄3—14岁，平均10．8岁；≤10岁15例，10～14岁30例。包括先天性心脏瓣膜病32例，风湿性瓣膜病6例，心内膜炎3例，部分型房室管畸形修补术后二尖瓣关闭不全3例，室间隔缺损修补术后主动脉关闭不全1例。行二尖瓣置换23例，其中2例为矫正型大动脉转位行解剖位三尖瓣置换，主动脉瓣置换9例；二尖瓣与主动脉瓣双瓣置换4例；三尖瓣置换9例。5例使用生物瓣膜或同种主动脉瓣，余40例均采用机械瓣膜，包括进口双叶瓣34枚，进口单叶瓣3枚，国产单叶瓣7枚。结果本组手术死亡(术后30d内)2例，死亡率4．4％，均死于手术当日，1例因顽固性心律失常，1例术后低心输出量综合征。生存者随访8个月-12年，平均4．9年。4例晚期死亡，晚期死亡率9．3％。置入机械瓣膜者均采用华法林抗凝治疗，未发生血栓栓塞及抗凝相关并发症，病儿术后心功能均Ⅰ-Ⅱ级。结论儿童瓣膜病病人，大多数可以置入合适的成人型号人工瓣膜，保证其术后生长发育，减少二次手术。采用华法林进行抗凝治疗，经过平均4．5年随访，无血栓栓塞或抗凝有关的出血并发症发生，治疗效果较为满意。     

再次心瓣膜置换术105例的临床分析

目的总结人工机械瓣置换术后再次行心瓣膜置换术的临床经验,探讨人工机械瓣置换术后再次心瓣膜置换术的病因、术中技术环节及围术期处理方法。方法自2001年1月至2008年12月共105例人工机械瓣置换术后患者在我中心再次行心脏手术,男59例,女46例;年龄50.2±10.6岁。其中二尖瓣置换术或/+三尖瓣成形术(TVP)31例,主动脉瓣置换或/+TVP 38例,Bentall手术(包括全根置换)11例,二尖瓣+主动脉瓣置换或/+TVP7例,三尖瓣置换术8例,瓣周漏修补术6例,其它手术4例。再次心脏手术距第一次手术时间为3个月~18年(46.3±31.9个月)。术前心功能分级(NYHA)Ⅱ级27例,Ⅲ级53例,Ⅳ级25例。结果手术死亡6例,总病死率5.71%(6/105),其他患者术后心功能均恢复到Ⅰ~Ⅱ级。死亡原因为:术后多器官功能衰竭1例,术前心功能Ⅳ级、术后严重低心排血量1例,术后假性动脉瘤破裂1例,严重脑部并发症导致感染1例,人工瓣膜心内膜炎(PVE)2例。人工机械瓣置换后再次心瓣膜置换术原因为:瓣周漏67例(63.80%),PVE 16例(15.23%),血栓形成14例(13.33%),继发其它瓣膜病变8例。术后随访11~107个月,因心搏骤停、脑出血远期死亡2例。结论机械瓣置换术后有一定的再手术率,其再次心瓣膜置换术的重要原因包括:瓣周漏、人工瓣膜心内膜炎和血栓形成。充分的术前准备、正确手术时机的选择、不同体外循环方法的应用及合理的术中技术环节的应用是手术成功的关键。     

先天性心脏病术中心脏瓣膜的保护和矫治

目的 总结先天性心脏病术后因瓣膜功能不全再手术的经验。方法 回顾分析先天性心脏病术后再行瓣膜手术13例患者的临床资料,其中室间隔缺损修补术后8例,部分心内膜垫缺损修补术后3例,法洛四联症和房间隔缺损修补术后各1例。第1次手术时即存在二尖瓣轻～中度关闭不全6例,主动脉瓣关闭不全1例;新出现瓣膜功能异常6例,其中2例因补片漏致三尖瓣关闭不全,2例因前叶腱索断裂致三尖瓣关闭不全,1例因残留右心室流出道狭窄继发三尖瓣关闭不全,1例因伤及主动脉瓣并发二尖瓣和三尖瓣关闭不全。13例中,行二尖瓣置换6例,三尖瓣置换2例,主动脉瓣置换1例,行主动脉瓣置换并二尖瓣、三尖瓣成形1例,三尖瓣成形3例。同时修补残余漏,疏通右心室流出道。结果 术后发生低心排综合征3例。2例术后早期分别死于脑气栓和呼吸循环衰竭。11例术后痊愈出院,随访1～8年,心功能良好。结论 先天性心脏病矫治术中应注意心脏瓣膜的保护,合并的瓣膜功能异常应积极修补,及时地再手术可取得良好效果。     

1 003例瓣膜置换手术围手术期处理

目的总结1003例心脏瓣膜置换手术病例临床特点及围手术期处理经验。方法手术在体外循环中度低温下进行，其中单纯二尖瓣置换术（MVR）555例，主动脉瓣及二尖瓣置换术（BVR）273例，主动脉瓣置换术（AVR）139例，三尖瓣置换术（TVR）26例，三瓣置换术10例。全组病人按≤40岁、41—59岁、≥60岁分为3组，分别为152、572、279例。结果975例（97．2％）恢复出院，死亡28例（2．8％）。3组死亡率分别为3．3％，1．7％，4．7％。死因分别为呼吸循环衰竭11例、多脏器功能衰竭10例、室性心律失常5例、肾功能衰竭2例。发生各种并发症74例次。结论瓣膜置换术是治疗瓣膜病变的有效手段，选择适当的手术时机，改进和完善体外循环技术，加强术中心肌保护，不断改进和提高手术技巧，尽量保留瓣下结构的二尖瓣置换术，能减少瓣膜置换术的手术风险，提高手术疗效。主动脉瓣置换时应尽量去除钙化的瓣叶，置入大一号的瓣膜，减少跨瓣压差，有利于左室重构。术中应常规探查三尖瓣，对瓣环明显扩大的病人予以三尖瓣成形术。心脏大的病人尤应注意围术期电解质的变化，防止发生恶性心律失常。生物瓣的术后抗凝较机械瓣方便，并发症也少，应提高生物瓣的应用比例。围手术期处理得当，可减少术后并发症及降低病死率，老年病人术前合并症多、病情重，应加强围手术期监护。     

二尖瓣主动脉瓣三尖瓣同时置换治疗重症风湿性瓣膜病

目的　总结二尖瓣主动脉瓣三尖瓣同期置换治疗重症风湿性心脏瓣膜病的手术疗效。方法　 1999年 6月至 2 0 0 1年 6月 94 1例病人进行瓣膜置换术 ,其中 2 4例同期进行二尖瓣、三尖瓣和主动脉瓣置换 ,占瓣膜置换病人的 2 5 5 %。 2 4例病人中女 17例 ,男 7例 ;年龄 18～ 5 9岁 ,平均 36岁 ;体重 37～ 5 6kg。其中 8例曾行二尖瓣闭式扩张术、11例合并左房血栓、16例病人合并有肝肿大 (肋下 2～ 8cm)和下肢水肿、8例合并有腹水。X线胸片示心胸比率为 0 6 6～ 0 91。超声检查示三尖瓣均有严重反流 ,反流面积为 4 2～ 34 0cm2 ,平均 (16 8± 9 3)cm2 。术前心功能III级 9例 ,VI级 15例。 6例病人因药物不能控制心衰而行急诊换瓣手术。结果　死亡 1例 ,死亡率为 4 2 %。术后 1周、3、6个月复查超声心动图示各心腔内径较术前明显缩小。出院者均得到随访 ,随访时间 2 0～ 36个月 ,平均 2 6 4个月。术后心功能I～II级2 0例 ,III级 4例。术后 3～ 12个月复查超声心动图未见机械瓣功能障碍及血栓形成。结论　对于联合瓣膜病变 ,三尖瓣有严重器质性病变的病人 ,在进行二尖瓣主动脉瓣置换的同时进行三尖瓣置换 ,有利于术后右心功能的恢复 ,能更好地改善心脏的血流动力学特性 ,改善心功能 ,并有利于术后病人的康     

人工心脏瓣膜心内膜炎的外科治疗

目的 总结人工心脏瓣膜心内膜炎(PVE)的外科治疗。方法 1990年至2003年8月，手术治疗PVE病人21例，其中亚急性16例，急性5例。血细菌培养阳性13例。心脏超声检查主动脉瓣瓣周漏6例，二尖瓣瓣周漏3例，主动脉瓣区赘生物3例，二尖瓣区5例。应用机械瓣再次手术行二尖瓣置换11例，主动脉瓣置换10例，同期行升主动脉假性瘤切除和主动脉修补成形1例。术中均见有赘生物；二尖瓣环脓肿7例，瓣周脓肿3例；主动脉瓣环脓肿8例，瓣周脓肿4例。结果术后早期死亡5例，其中3例死于感染复发，2例死于多脏器功能衰竭；晚期死亡1例。随访4个月至13年，1例PVE再发，内科治疗无效，死亡。结论及时诊断PVE，正确掌握手术时机，彻底清除感染组织和围术期应用大剂量敏感抗生素，是提高PVE手术效果的关键。     

三尖瓣替换术及早期结果

目的 探讨三尖瓣替换术（TVR）的手术适应证和人工瓣膜的选择。方法 1997年3月至2004年6月,共施行TVR42例,其中20例有心脏手术史。手术适应证：①自然瓣膜损毁无法修复（34例）;②进行性三尖瓣病变（2例）;③修复后残余的瓣膜功能不全仍严重影响心脏功能（6例）。合并下列情况时,积极选择TVR：肺血管阻力中、重度升高;手术后有残余的左心功能不全;有三尖瓣成形手术史。人工心脏瓣膜替换术包括：单纯TVR30例,主动脉瓣和二尖瓣加TVR8例,二尖瓣加TVR3例,主动脉瓣加TVR1例。三尖瓣位人工瓣使用双叶型机械瓣28枚,生物瓣14枚。其他合并的心脏手术包括：先天性心脏畸形修复10例,人工瓣周漏修补、黏液瘤切除、冠状动脉搭桥各1例。结果 全组手术病死率17％（7／42）,手术并发症发生率31％（13／42）。术后心功能（NYHA分级）：Ⅰ级21例,Ⅱ级10例,Ⅲ、Ⅳ级各1例。术后晚期死亡2例。结论 当三尖瓣的病变程度严重,修复把握不大,特别是伴有肺血管病变、左心功能不良、左心病变未能完全矫治时,应积极行TVR;人工瓣应选择双叶型和机械瓣或生物瓣,特别是后者。     

Surgery for the valvular disease in children

We report the results and long-term follow up in 34 children (17 girls and 17 boys, aged 12 days to 13 years, average age 3.3 years, average body weight 11.7 kg) who underwent valvular surgery in the period between May 1989 and November 1996. Operative mortality was 11.8%. Actuarial survival curves (including hospital mortality) indicate a 68.6% survival rate at 5 years and that 64.7% of patients are free from reoperation at 5 years. For aortic regurgitation two patients applied aortic valvuloplasty and four applied aortic valve replacement. Nine children had aortic stenosis, three of them had balloon valvuloplasty, seven had valvotomy, two had aortic valve replacement. Ten patients were treated for mitral regurgitation. There were nine valvuloplasty and four mitral valve replacement including three times of reoperation. One membranous pulmonary atresia and seven pulmonary stenosis children had valvotomy. There were four cases of tricuspid disease. One had tricuspid valve stenosis with pulmonary stenosis, three had severe tricuspid regurgitation who applied tricuspid valve replacement. Mortality was high in the critical AS, severe MR and TVR groups. Patients who survived the surgery and had no complications showed satisfiable results.     

Results of reoperation for primary tissue failure of porcine bioprostheses

Results of reoperation for primary tissue failure of porcine bioprostheses were evaluated in 574 patients discharged from the hospital from 1970 to 1981. A total of 413 had undergone isolated mitral valve replacement and 161 isolated aortic valve replacement. Through March, 1984, 88 patients (15%) had required reoperation: 59 had undergone mitral and 29, aortic valve replacement. Primary tissue failure was the main cause of bioprosthetic dysfunction; it occurred in 64 patients (46 mitral and 18 aortic) at a mean postoperative interval of 93 +/- 4 months (range 34 to 158). During the same period, 11 patients required reoperation for bioprosthetic endocarditis, 11 for paravalvular leak, and two for thrombosis. These patients are not included in this review. Reoperation for primary tissue failure was performed after a mean interval of 72 +/- 6 months (range 38 to 158) for patients with aortic bioprostheses and after 101 +/- 5 months (range 34 to 153) for those with mitral bioprostheses (p less than 0.05). Overall mortality at reoperation was 12.5%: 11% for the mitral group and 16% for the aortic group. In 62 patients (45 mitral and 17 aortic) primary tissue failure was caused by calcification of the cusps, associated with severe fibrous tissue overgrowth in seven. Bioprosthetic failure was caused by an intracuspal hematoma in one patient with mitral valve replacement and by lipid infiltration of the cusps in one patient with aortic valve replacement. Actuarial freedom from bioprosthetic primary tissue failure at 12 years is 61% +/- 5% for the mitral group and 69% +/- 7% for the aortic group. On the basis of our long-term follow-up of patients after mitral or aortic replacement with a porcine bioprosthesis, we conclude: primary tissue failure is the most frequent indication for reoperation in patients with a porcine bioprosthesis; calcification of the cusp tissue is the leading cause of primary tissue failure; reoperation for primary tissue failure may be a major concern, although mortality for elective cases is low; and the limited durability of porcine bioprostheses suggests their use be restricted to selected patients.     

Tricuspid valve replacement with bioprostheses: long-term results and causes of valve dysfunction

BACKGROUND: Although the clinical performance of bioprostheses after valve replacement in the aortic and mitral position has been reported, little is known of the performance of tricuspid bioprostheses. The mechanism of bioprosthetic valve dysfunction after tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) is not clear. METHODS: We reviewed 98 cases of TVR with bioprostheses. To clarify the causes of valve dysfunction, pathologic examination of the explanted valve at the reoperation was performed. RESULTS: Actuarial survival at 18 years was 68.7% +/- 5.8%. There were 12 redo TVRs. In six of the 12 cases, isolated redo TVR was performed. In the other cases, concomitant cardiac procedures were performed. The causes of prosthetic valve dysfunction were pannus formation on the cusps of the right ventricle side (four cases), native valve attachment (two cases), pannus formation + native valve attachment (two cases), sclerotic change (one case), pannus formation + sclerotic change (one case), and native valve attachment + valve infection (one case). Freedom from reoperation, structural valve deterioration, and nonstructural dysfunction at 18 years was 62.7% +/- 10.7%, 96.0% +/- 2.9%, and 76.7% +/- 8.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In our 18 years of experience, although the survival after TVR with bioprostheses is acceptable, the reoperation free rate is not satisfactory. Pannus formation on the cusps of the ventricular side seems to be a serious problem that causes bioprosthetic dysfunction in the tricuspid position.     

Long-term results of porcine bioprosthetic valves

Between November 1977 and October 1980, 54 patients underwent valve replacements with porcine bioprostheses at Hyogo Kenritsu Amagasaki Hospital. The late complications and the long term durability of 53 porcine bioprostheses were documented in 48 patients after discharge (34 mitral, 7 aortic, 2 tricuspid, and 5 multiple, consisting of 38 Hancock, 15 Carpentier-Edwards prostheses). Cumulative duration of follow-up is 420 patient-years. The valve related late mortality was 0.52%/patient-years. There were 6 thromboembolic events (1.6% patient-years), only 1 episode of endocarditis (0.26%/patient-years). Valve dysfunction is defined as stenosis or regurgitation by echocardiogram or cardiac catheterization. There were 21 instances of porcine bioprosthetic dysfunction (6.6% patient-years). Freedom from valve dysfunction at 12 years was 24.4%. There were 17 valves of mitral bioprosthetic dysfunction (6.4% patient-years). The incidences of mitral stenosis (MS), mitral regurgitation (MR), and paravalvular leakage were 4.5, 3.6, and 0.7%/patient-years respectively. Freedom from MR was higher than MS at 8 years. The 14 patients were needed reoperation due to valve dysfunction (3.6%/patient-years). We concluded that the porcine bioprostheses showed a high incidence of valve dysfunction at 7 to 8 years after operation, we presently choose mechanical valve in most cases.     

Reoperative surgery for degenerated aortic bioprostheses: predictors for emergency surgery and reoperative mortality.

OBJECTIVE: The long-term outcome of patients with aortic bioprosthetic valves could be improved by decreasing the reoperative mortality rate. METHODS: Predictors of emergency reoperation and reoperative mortality were identified retrospectively in 172 patients who had the first bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement between 1975 and 1988 (mean age 46+/-13 years) and were subjected to replacement of the degenerated bioprostheses between 1978 and 1997 (mean age 56+/-14 years). Emergency reoperation had to be performed in 31 patients (18%). RESULTS: The operative mortality was 5.2% (9/172), 22.6% for emergency (odds ratio 11.17; 95%-confidence limit 4.33-28.85) and 1.4% for elective replacement of the degenerated aortic bioprosthesis (P<0.0001; OR=20.3). Patients who died at reoperation had higher transvalvular gradients before the primary aortic valve replacement (P=0.007), received smaller bioprostheses at the first operation (P=0.03), had later recurrence of symptoms after the first aortic valve replacement (P=0.04), a higher pre-reoperative New York Heart Association (NYHA) class (P=0.02), and a higher incidence of coronary artery disease (P=0.001) and pulmonary artery hypertension (P=0.009). Endocarditis before the primary aortic valve replacement (P=0.004), postoperative pneumonia at the first operation (P=0.005), pulmonary hypertension (P=0.0004) acquired during the interval, later recurrence of symptoms (P=0.04) after the first operation, a lower ejection fraction at the time of reoperation (P=0.03) and acute onset of bioprosthetic regurgitation (P=0.00002) were predictors for emergency surgery. Higher transvalvular gradients at the primary aortic valve replacement (P=0. 006), coronary artery disease (P=0.003) acquired during the interval, the need for concomitant coronary artery revascularization (P=0. 001), sex (P=0.02) and size (P=0.05) and type of the bioprostheses used (P=0.007) were incremental predictors for reoperative mortality which were independent of emergency surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Elective replacement of failed aortic bioprostheses is safe. Patients undergoing emergency reoperation have a considerably higher mortality. They can be identified by a history of native aortic valve endocarditis, higher transvalvular gradients at primary aortic valve replacement, smaller bioprostheses, and pulmonary hypertension or coronary artery disease acquired during the interval. A failing bioprosthesis must be replaced at its first sign of dysfunction.     

机械瓣膜功能障碍的原因及手术对策

目的分析机械瓣膜功能障碍的原因、外科手术方法,总结围手术期处理经验。方法1996年10月至2008年10月,阜外心血管病医院共施行人工机械瓣膜置换术12276例,其中有32例因机械瓣瓣膜功能障碍而进行再次手术治疗,男12例,女20例;年龄16～61岁,平均年龄43.8岁。再次手术均在全身麻醉低温体外循环下进行,手术方式为二尖瓣置换术16例,主动脉瓣置换术8例,二尖瓣＋主动脉瓣置换术3例,三尖瓣置换术2例,瓣膜角度矫正术2例,异物清除术1例;急诊手术13例,择期手术19例。结果全组呼吸机辅助呼吸时间为5.1～144.0h,中位时间15h;行气管切开2例。全组再次手术后死亡6例,病死率18.8%（6/32）;死亡原因为低心排血量综合征3例,多器官功能衰竭2例,恶性心律失常1例。发生并发症3例,分别为感染性心内膜炎1例、顽固性呃逆1例、切口感染1例,均治愈出院。结论机械瓣膜功能障碍是机械瓣置换术后严重并发症之一,应早发现、早诊断,尽早再次手术。     

Unexpected durability of Smeloff-Cutter aortic ball valve prosthesis

We report a case in which replacement of a Smeloff-Cutter aortic ball prosthesis was required 28 years after initial implantation. A 57-year-old woman underwent aortic valve replacement with a 21-mm Smeloff-Cutter ball prosthesis and open mitral commissurotomy for aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, and mitral stenosis in 1973. Severe aortic regurgitation occurred in April 2001, and aortic valve reoperation combined with mitral valve replacement was successfully performed. The patient's aortic ball valve was nearly intact with perivalvular leakage probably causing the aortic regurgitation. Our experience documents longer durability for the Smeloff-Cutter prosthesis than has been reported to date.