Mitral valve replacement with stored inverted pulmonary homograft valve

The fate is described of 11 patients who had a stored pulmonary valve homograft mounted on a frame or in a Dacron jacket used for mitral valve replacement. Mitral regurgitation due to holes in the attenuated cusps occurred in nine by one year, requiring re-operation or causing death. Only one patient remains well with moderate mitral regurgitation after two years.     

Mitral valve replacement with Alvarez prosthesis: long-term results

The high mortality and morbidity that follow insertion of the Alvarez valve in the mitral position, and particularly the thrombo-embolic complications, stopped us from using it clinically in the Leeds General Infirmary.     

Long-term degenerative changes in aortic segment homografts, with particular reference to calcification

The object of this article is to present observations derived from a long-term follow-up (over a period of 8-17 years) of a personal series of aortic segment homografts from which certain important information arises. It will be shown that in those grafts prepared and preserved in a `fresh' state, calcification has not occurred or has been trivial, whereas in 20 cases in which the graft has been prepared by freeze-drying, calcification is absent in only four, i.e., 21%. Nineteen of these 20 have been traced up to date; only one is so far missing. In spite of calcification the functional result has remained excellent; in all, the graft was used to replace a segment of aorta resected for aneurysm or for coarctation. The high incidence of aortic wall calcification must assume clinical significance in relation to aortic valve homografting. This procedure is now well established and it is important to consider the future of the valve homograft, especially as most grafts are being prepared by freeze-drying. By analogy from observations on the rate of homografting of aortic segments, calcification is likely to occur at least in that portion of the aortic wall which carries the valve cusps. Impairment of function of the cusps or their involvement in the calcific process seems likely.     

Long-term assessment of aortic valve replacement with autologous pulmonary valve

Two hundred two autologous pulmonary valves were transplanted into the aortic position between 1967 and 1982 at the National Heart Hospital in London. The indication for operation was congenital or acquired aortic valve disease, and the patients were followed for periods from 1 to 4 years. The patients were not anti-coagulated, but the entire series has been completely free from thromboembolism or bleeding. The actuarial prediction of freedom from valve-related deaths was 82 +/- 6% at the end of the fourteenth year after operation; deaths were due to reoperations for technical failure and to infective endocarditis. Event-free survival of the autologous pulmonary valve in the aortic position was 73 +/- 6% after 14 years at risk. Valve failure resulted mainly from technical problems encountered during the early years of surgical experience. There was no macroscopic or histological evidence of calcification in any of the failed valves. The right ventricular outflow was reconstructed with an aortic homograft in the majority of patients; 81 +/- 5% of these homografts demonstrated event-free performance over a 12-year follow-up period. It is concluded that the long-term performance of a pulmonary autograft inserted for aortic valve disease is superior to that of any other valve substitute and that the operation offers an almost ideal means of aortic valve replacement in appropriate patients.     

Mitral valve repair with aortic valve replacement is superior to double valve replacement

OBJECTIVES: Double valve replacement has been advocated for patients with combined aortic and mitral valve disease. This study investigated the alternative that, when feasible, mitral valve repair with aortic valve replacement is superior. Patients and Methods: From 1975 to 1998, 813 patients underwent aortic valve replacement with either mitral valve replacement (n = 518) or mitral valve repair (n = 295). Mitral valve disease was rheumatic in 71% and degenerative in 20%. Mitral valve replacement was more common in patients with severe mitral stenosis (P =.0009), atrial fibrillation (P =.0006), and in patients receiving a mechanical aortic prosthesis (P =.0002). These differences were used for propensity-matched multivariable comparisons. Follow-up extended reliably to 16 years, mean 6.9 +/- 5.9 years. RESULTS: Hospital mortality rate was 5.4% for mitral valve repair and 7.0% for replacement (P =.4). Survivals at 5, 10, and 15 years were 79%, 63%, and 46%, respectively, after mitral valve repair versus 72%, 52%, and 34%, respectively, after replacement (P =.01). Late survival was increased by mitral valve repair rather than replacement (P =.03) in all subsets of patients, including those with severe mitral valve stenosis. After repair of nonrheumatic mitral valves, 5-, 10-, and 15-year freedom from valve replacement was 91%, 88%, and 86%, respectively; in contrast, after repair of rheumatic valves, it was 97%, 89%, and 75% at these intervals. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with double valve disease, aortic valve replacement and mitral valve repair (1) are feasible in many, (2) improve late survival rates, and (3) are the preferred strategy when mitral valve repair is possible.     

Long-term results of aortic valve replacement

In order to improve the quality of life after cardiac valvular surgery, new procedures and new prostheses have been developed in the past decade. Surgeons have many alternatives for the individual patient. However, some may only represent a trend without any clinical advantage, some may increase the surgical risk, and some may have limited indications for specific types of heart disease. Therefore the selection of the procedure and prosthesis is very important. The new mechanical valves have a thinner ring and cuff, providing a larger orifice for patients with a small aortic annulus, and enlargement procedures are now rarely required. Second-generation biological valves have been used for more than 15 years. In the aortic position in elderly patients, the rate of freedom from structural deterioration is over 90% at 15 years. The stentless valve is the most notable newer prosthesis and has significant hemodynamic advantages, associated with good myocardial remodeling.     

Mitral valve replacement with homograft

The technique for replacement of the mitral valve with a mitral valve homograft is described. Principles include side-by-side approximation of the papillary muscles using multiple stitches of fine monofilament suture, direct attachment of the annulus of the mitral homograft to the annulus of the patient, and support of the repair by remodeling annuloplasty ring.     

Long-term results of valve replacement with the CarboMedics prosthetic heart valve

This study examined the long-term results of the CarboMedics prosthetic heart valve. Between July 1990 and May 2000, 256 CarboMedics valve prostheses (120 single aortic, 62 single mitral, and 34 double aortic/mitral) were implanted into 216 patients (mean age 57.8 years). The mean follow-up was 57.7 +/- 36 months (maximum 133 months) with a total of 1,038.4 patient years. Patient survival, including operative deaths, was 85.1% at 10 years. Linearized rates for various complications were thromboembolism 0.39% per patient year, bleeding events 0.39% per patient year; prosthetic valve endocarditis 0.29% per patient year, nonstructural dysfunction 0.87% per patient year, and reoperation 0.39% per patient year. There were no valve thrombosis or structural valve failures in this series. The probabilities of freedom from thromboembolism and reoperation at 10 years were 96.3% and 93.1%, respectively. In conclusion, the CarboMedics valve can be used satisfactorily with a low incidence of thromboembolism and valve thrombosis.     

人工心脏瓣膜置换手术后的远期随访

目的　随访 5 5 0 6例次人工心脏瓣膜置换术后病人的远期临床结果 ,全面评价远期疗效。方法　 1976年 5月至 1997年 5月 ,在阜外心血管病医院外科实施人工瓣膜置换手术 5 5 0 6例次 ,共 5 2 79例病人 ,其中男 2 76 8例 ,女 2 5 11例 ;平均年龄 (39 86± 10 73)岁。共置换人工瓣膜 6 816枚。总随访率为86 8% ,平均随访 6 5 9年 (0 80～ 2 2 5 8年 ) ,随访总人年次为 2 86 0 8 94病人 年。结果　手术总死亡率为5 98%。人工生物瓣膜结构性衰坏发生率 1 5 7%病人 年。全组血栓栓塞发生率 0 2 2 %病人 年 (机械瓣组为 0 2 8%病人 年 ,生物瓣组为 0 0 7%病人 年 ,P =0 0 0 0 0 )。出血事件发生率 1 0 0 %病人 年 (机械瓣组为 1 34%病人 年 ,生物瓣组为 0 15 %病人 年 ,P =0 0 0 0 0 )。再手术为 0 4 5 %病人 年 (机械瓣组 0 0 2 %病人 年 ,生物瓣组为 1 6 1%病人 年 ,P =0 0 0 0 0 )。再手术原因以生物瓣衰坏为主 ,占再手术 96 35 %。远期死亡率 0 79%病人 年 ,5年生存率 (96 34± 0 31) % ,10年生存率 (92 4 8± 0 5 8) % ,15年生存率 (87 97± 1 13) % ,2 0年生存率 (82 5 1± 2 94 ) %。远期瓣膜相关死亡率 0 6 0 %病人 年 ,5年免除瓣膜相关死亡(97 2 1± 0 2 7) % ,10年     

Mitral valve replacement with the pulmonary autograft: Ross II procedure with kabanni modification

We report our experience with pulmonary autograft replacement of the mitral valve in eight patients. Hospital mortality of 0% was reported, and there has been one autograft failure requiring replacement (mean follow-up 12 ± 6 months). We also review the world’s experience with this technique. Mitral valve replacement with a pulmonary autograft (Ross II) is safe, reproducible, and possible warranted for selected patients.     

Mitral valve replacement in patients after aortic valve replacement

BACKGROUND: Mitral valve replacement in patients who previously had undergone aortic valve replacement is a technical challenge. The rigid aortic prosthesis limits visualization of the anterior mitral annulus and placement of sutures. METHODS: Reoperative mitral valve replacement was performed in five patients after aortic valve replacement. Two patients underwent resternotomy to allow verification of normal aortic prosthetic valve function. Anterolateral right thoracotomy was used for reentry in the remaining three patients. Exposure of the anterior mitral annulus was accomplished by initial traction on the intact anterior leaflet, with resection of this leaflet only after placement of sutures. RESULTS: All patients survived the surgical procedure and are well 2 to 30 months after operation. In one patient it was impossible to open one cusp of the mitral prosthesis, nor was it possible to rotate the valve. The valve was reimplanted, but sutures were tied only after testing for full free cusp motion. CONCLUSIONS: When appropriate, right thoracotomy incision offers excellent exposure of the mitral valve with minimal dissection. Placement of sutures along the anterior portion of the annulus is facilitated by traction downwards on the anterior leaflet. Full range of motion of the prosthetic cusps should be verified before tying the sutures.