Cardiac valve replacement with Wada-Cutter prosthesis

The Wada-Cutter cardiac valve prosthesis, a hingeless valve, was developed and used clinically in 106 patients in whom 42 aortic valve replacements, 48 mitral valve replacements, 5 tricuspid valve replacements, and 11 multiple valve replacements were done. A continuous knotless suture technique was invariably employed for fixation of the prosthesis regardless of the type of operation.     

Valve replacement in patients on chronic renal dialysis: implications for valve prosthesis selection

BACKGROUND: Reports are sparse describing heart valve replacement in patients with end-stage renal disease. This review assesses a 15-year experience and outcomes after valve replacement in patients on chronic preoperative renal dialysis. METHODS: A computerized database, hospital records, and telephone contact provided outcome data for patients on chronic dialysis undergoing valve replacement between March 22, 1985, and October 13, 2000, in two hospitals. RESULTS: Seventy-two patients underwent 95 valve procedures (74 operations). Ages ranged from 23 years to 84 years (mean, 57 years). Fifty-five aortic, 30 mitral, and 3 tricuspid valve replacements and 7 valvuloplasties were performed. Six of the 74 procedures were reoperative valve replacements. In the 46 patients with reliable long-term (greater than 30 days) follow-up data, significant bleeding or stroke was documented in 17 of 34 patients with a mechanical valve and 1 of 12 patients with a bioprosthetic valve. Overall survival (including two operative deaths) was 72.8% at 3 months, 65.4% at 6 months, 60.5% at 1 year, 39.8% at 2 years, 28.5% at 3 years, and 15.9% at 6 years (Kaplan-Meier). Type of valve implanted did not influence early and late survival. CONCLUSIONS: In this series of patients on chronic dialysis, survival appears to justify valve replacement. However, the sixfold higher incidence of late bleeding or stroke in patients on dialysis with a mechanical valve requiring warfarin suggests that bioprosthetic valves are the valve substitute of choice in patients on chronic dialysis.     

肥胖对小主动脉瓣人工瓣膜置入术后长期生存的影响

目的 评估肥胖对于小主动脉瓣人工瓣膜(直径≤21 mm)置换术后长期生存率的影响.方法 1998年1月至2008年12月对307例首次接受小号主动脉瓣置换术生存时间超过1个月者进行长期随访.并根据身体质量指数(BMI)划分为3组:BMI＜ 24.0 kg/m2为正常组(185例),BMI 24.0 ～27.9 kg/m2为超重组(94例),BMI≥28 kg/m2为肥胖组(28例).分别在术后第3、6个月,第1、3、5、8年收集NHYA分级,有效瓣口面积指数(EOAI),左心室质量指数(LVMI),左心室射血分数(LVEF)等指标,了解各组中这些指标的变化及组间比较,分析肥胖是否与生存率有关;计算总体死亡率及3组各自死亡率并比较.结果 经过单变量和多变量分析,并通过倾向得分调节,肥胖均为影响生存率的独立危险因子(HR:1.62;P =0.01).长期随访中,肥胖组和超重组生存率较正常组低,而且术后NYHAⅢ/Ⅳ级患者所占比例偏高.3组中肥胖组和超重组EOAI偏小,LVMI偏高,均有统计学意义.但LVEF无明显变化.结论 肥胖和术后长期生存率密切相关,肥胖和超重均可能降低术后的长期生存率.EOAI可能在其中发挥重要作用,提高EOAI会提高术后长期生存率,改善术后长期生存质量.     

Cardiac valve replacement in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients

BACKGROUND: Valve replacement in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients is being performed with increasing frequency, but the early and late results in these immunocompromised patients are not known. METHODS: A 10-year retrospective clinical review was undertaken; patients and their physicians were contacted for follow-up clinical status. RESULTS: Twenty-two HIV-infected patients underwent valve replacement between 1990 and 1999, with no operative or hospital deaths. Mean patient age was 37.6 years; 15 were men. Indications for operation were heart failure in 59% (13/22) and sepsis in 91% (20/22). There were 12 aortic valve replacements, seven mitral valve replacements, and three double valve replacements. Mechanical valves were used in 11, bioprostheses in seven, and homografts in four. Follow-up information was available in 20 of 22 patients (84%). At mean follow-up of 5 years, there were 10 late deaths, due to: intracerebral hemorrhage (2), heart failure (2), unknown cause (2), renal failure (1), AIDS (1), sepsis (1) and endocarditis (1). Of the 20 patients with active preoperative endocarditis, 4 (20%) developed recurrent endocarditis; freedom from recurrent endocarditis was 83% at 1 year. Intravenous drug abuse was reported in 16 patients; survival among these patients was 94% at 1 month and 50% at 5 years. Recurrent endocarditis was only seen in patients with continued intravenous drug abuse. CONCLUSIONS: Valve replacement in HIV-infected patients has low operative risk, but late results are poor when HIV infection is associated with intravenous drug abuse, probably due to immunocompromise and continued high-risk behavior.     

Impact of dialysis in patients undergoing bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement

 Open in a separate windowOBJECTIVESTo determine the incidence of bioprosthetic structural valve deterioration in dialysis patients undergoing aortic valve replacement compared to that in patients without dialysis.METHODSThis single-centre retrospective observational study included 1159 patients who underwent aortic valve replacement using bioprosthetic valves for aortic stenosis and/or regurgitation at our institution between 2007 and 2017 [patients with dialysis (group D, n = 134, 12%) or without dialysis (group N, n = 1025, 88%)]. To adjust for potential differences between groups in terms of initial preoperative characteristics or selection bias, a propensity score analysis was conducted. The final sample that was used in the comparison included 258 patients, as follows: 129 patients with dialysis (group D) and 129 patients without dialysis (group N). The cumulative incidences of all-cause death, cardiac death and moderate or severe structural valve deterioration were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method.RESULTSOperative mortality was significantly higher in group D than group N (9% vs 0%, P = 0.001). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that in group D, the incidence was significantly higher for all-cause death (P < 0.001, 50% vs 18% at 5 years), cardiac death (P = 0.001, 18% vs 5% at 5 years) and moderate or severe structural valve deterioration (P < 0.001, 29% vs 5% at 5 years) compared with group N.CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of structural valve deterioration in dialysis patients undergoing aortic valve replacement was higher than that in patients without dialysis. Bioprosthetic valves should be carefully selected in dialysis patients undergoing aortic valve replacement.     

儿童心脏瓣膜置换术

目的探讨儿童心脏瓣膜置换的有关问题。方法１９９２年３月至１９９７年１２月,对７例儿童进行了心脏瓣膜置换手术,其中二尖瓣置换术５例,主动脉瓣置换术２例,同期修补室间隔缺损３例。结果术后发生急性呼吸功能衰竭１例,急性心包填塞１例,全组无手术死亡。术后随访１～６９个月,患者发育正常,活动量增加。结论儿童换瓣应尽可能选用较大型号的双叶机械瓣,升主动脉根部心包补片加宽及改进缝合技术能使瓣环较小的患儿置入较大型号的心瓣膜。     

Isolated aortic valve replacement. Analysis of factors influencing survival after replacement with the Starr-Edwards prosthesis

A review of 104 consecutive patients who underwent isolated aortic valve replacement with the Starr-Edwards prosthesis is reported. All 104 were followed an average of 3.8 years.Operative mortality was 1.8% and late mortality was 12.7%. The importance of continuous coronary perfusion is emphasized as the single most important factor in achieving a low operative mortality. Patients with pure aortic stenosis had the highest cumulative mortality (18%), followed closely by those with “mixed” lesions (aortic stenosis [AS] and aortic insufficiency [AI]) (16%). Patients in Class IV (N.Y. Heart Association classification) had, as expected, the highest mortality. The single category in which there was the highest incidence of deaths consisted of Class IV patients with mixed lesions (57%).There were 89 survivors, 85 of whom achieved excellent rehabilitation (95%), although almost all still require medication.The Starr-Edwards prosthesis seems to function well over several years. Prosthesis complications were uncommon, and the most frequent cause of late mortality seemed to be myocardial disease itself. Accordingly, any improvement in late results will come from earlier operation, before the myocardium reaches a “point of no return.”     

New prosthesis for cardiac valve replacement

This paper focus on the most common used prosthesis for replacement of diseased heart valves, when repair is not feasible. A brief historical review is made. New prosthesis and the trends for the future are also addressed.     

Cardiac rehabilitation and survival of dialysis patients after coronary bypass

Patients who are on renal dialysis are at high risk for cardiac death and have a large burden of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Cardiac rehabilitation can promote improved survival of nondialysis patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery and is covered by Medicare, but no previous studies have investigated whether dialysis patients' survival after CABG may be improved as a function of cardiac rehabilitation. A prospective cohort study was conducted using Medicare claims (1998 to 2002) for CABG and cardiac rehabilitation and patient information from the United States Renal Data System database for 6215 renal patients who initiated hemodialysis and underwent CABG between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2002, with mortality follow-up to December 31, 2003. Cardiac rehabilitation was defined by Current Procedural Terminology codes for monitored and nonmonitored exercise in Medicare claims data. Dialysis patients who received cardiac rehabilitation after CABG had a 35% reduced risk for all-cause mortality and a 36% reduced risk for cardiac death compared with dialysis patients who did not receive cardiac rehabilitation, independent of sociodemographic and clinical risk factors, including recent hospitalization. Only 10% of patients received cardiac rehabilitation after CABG, compared with an estimated 23.4% of patients in the general population, and lower income patients of all ages as well as women and black patients who were aged 65+ were significantly less likely to receive cardiac rehabilitation services. This observational study suggests a survival benefit of cardiac rehabilitation for dialysis patients after CABG.     

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.