Heart valve replacement in septuagenarians

Heart valve replacement was performed on 208 patients aged 70-80 years--aortic (AVR) in 172, mitral in 20 and both valves in 16 cases. All valves were of Bj?rk-Shiley type, and all but six patients received maintenance oral anticoagulant therapy. The 100% follow-up comprised 744 patient-years (mean 4.0 years). The early mortality was 9.6% and was related to the complexity and urgency of surgery: After elective AVR for pure aortic stenosis the rate was 3.9%. Actuarial survival (early mortality excluded) was 79% at 5 years and 73% at 8 years overall, and 87% and 80% after AVR for stenosis. In the AVR group the relative (age- and -sex-adjusted) survival rate indicated a normalized survival pattern after the first year, with 87%, 'cure' rate (early mortality included), and the incidence of thromboembolism and of fatal bleeding complications equalled figures for younger patients. Mechanical heart valve implantation and maintenance anticoagulation thus seems to be safe treatment even in elderly patients, and eliminates need for valve re-replacement due to bioprosthetic degeneration.     

Prosthetic valve replacement in children

Between 1975 and 1998, 27 patients aged 3 months to 14 years underwent replacement of the aortic, mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonary valves. Five different types of prosthetic valves were used; three were mechanical valves and two were bioprosthetic valves. There were 3 hospital deaths. Among the 24 survivors there were 4 late deaths. Arrhythmia requiring pacemaker implantation occurred in 2 cases after AVR and TVR. Thromboembolic events occurred in 3 patients, all with mechanical valves in pulmonary position. Infective endocarditis occurred in 1 patient after PVR with a mechanical valve. No bleeding complication occurred among the patients on a regimen of Coumadin and Dipyridamole. Two patients, both with Hancock bioprosthesis, required a second valve replacement on account of severely calcified changes. Mechanical valves in left side heart had a satisfactory long-term performance. One patient who had undergone MVR for congenital parachute mitral valve received reoperation for growth. A larger sized prosthetic valve should be used at the first replacement, and special procedures including supra-annular positioning or annular augmentation are recommended for MVR or AVR respectively.     

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。     

Tricuspid valve replacement in children

Between 1974 and January, 1986, 11 children underwent 13 tricuspid valve replacements at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Age at operation ranged from 24 hours to 14.5 years (mean, 6.9 years). Morphology of the tricuspid valves included Ebstein's anomaly (6 patients), congenital tricuspid regurgitation (3), tricuspid regurgitation and univentricular heart (1), and previous tricuspid valve excision for acute endocarditis (1). There were 4 early deaths: the 3 youngest infants in the series (age 1 day to 16 days) and another child who underwent emergency valve replacement died. On follow-up to 13 years after valve replacement, there were 2 late deaths and two reoperations. Both reoperations were for calcified degenerative tissue prostheses 6.5 and 9 years following implantation. The estimated 5-year survival based on a collected review of data from the literature is 68 +/- 9% for children with prosthetic tricuspid valves. Although tissue valve durability is better in the tricuspid position than on the systemic side of the circulation, calcification does result in late dysfunction. Tricuspid valve repair should always be carried out when possible, especially in the infant group. Elective prosthetic valve replacement in older children can be performed with reasonable operative risk and reasonable late results.     

Mitral valve replacement in children

Rheumatic fever leading to advanced valvular heart disease, in adults and children, is still frequently seen in developing countries. In the period 1981-87, 1137 patients underwent open heart surgery for either repair (489 patients), or replacement (639 patients) of defective cardiac valves. The experience with 75 children who underwent mitral valve replacement among this group is reviewed. The aetiology of mitral valve disease was rheumatic in 71, and infective endocarditis in four; 85% of the children were in NYHA functional class III, and 15% in class IV. Seven children had intra-operative findings of rheumatic activity. Pure mitral regurgitation was seen in 41, while mixed mitral valve disease was observed in 34 children. Twenty-seven children underwent mitral valve replacement with Ionescu-Shiley bovine pericardial valves, and 48 with mechanical Bi-leaflet valves. The operative mortality was 9.3%, and the actuarial survival rate, calculated by the Cutler and Ederers method, was 87% at 5 years.     

Heart valve replacement with myocardial revascularization

Coexisting coronary artery insufficiency includes risks to patients with valvular heart disease, thus complicating management. In 15 patients requiring aortic or mitral valve replacement preoperative coronary angiography demonstrated severe coronary stenoses which were treated by bypass grafts with valve surgery. These combined operations turned out to be safe and effective.     

Prosthetic valve replacement in children.

Reported clinical experience with prosthetic valve replacement in children have suggested a high operative mortality. We placed 25 valves in 24 children with one operative death. There has been one late death related to pacemaker malfunction, but the remainder of the patients have generally done extremely well. The children have not undergone elective anticoagulation, and the long-term embolism rate has not exceeded the incidence of systemic embolization in adults who have been controlled on warfarin sodium (Coumadin) therapy. The objective of prosthetic valve replacement is myocardial preservation. We believe that valve replacement with currently available prostheses should be undertaken in any child with valvular malfunction who is not well controlled with good medical management.     

Surgical management of valve replacement in children

From 1965 to 1990, 49 valve replacements were performed on 43 patients under the age of 15. Mitral valve replacements were performed on 21 patients, and re-replacements were done on 4 of them afterwards. In the first 9 mitral valve replacements before 1974, Starr-Edwards (S-E) ball valves were used. Five of these patients died in the hospital (early mortality rate was 56%). Since 1975, bioprosthetic valves were used in three cases, but all of these valves ceased to function due to primary tissue failure (PTF) within 3 years. Consequently, SJM valves are now used as a first choice. Ten aortic valve replacements were performed on 9 patients with the results of one early death, two late deaths, and one late re-operation. Tricuspid valve replacements were performed on 11 patients, 5 of whom utilized S-E ball valves. Three of the five patients died in the hospital. One patient was re-operated on, swapping the S-E ball valve for the SJM valve. SJM valves were used primarily in 2 patients, and bioprosthetic valves in 4. Two patients died, one with a SJM valve, and the other with a bioprosthetic valve. Two pulmonary valve replacements were performed, one employing a SJM valve, the other a bioprosthetic valve. Two adult patients with SJM valve in the right side of the heart had thrombotic complications, though the patients with bioprosthetic valves had none. Atrioventricular valve replacements were performed on 5 patients under the age of 3, but all of them died.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

小年龄患儿的二尖瓣置换手术

目的 总结5岁以下二尖瓣病变患儿行二尖瓣置换手术的治疗经验.方法 2008年1月至2011年12月,共12例5岁以下的二尖瓣病变患儿进行二尖瓣置换手术.其中男9例,女3例;年龄4～58个月,平均(26.2±18.1)个月;体质量5.6 ～13.0 kg,平均(9.6±3.8) kg.患儿有中度以上二尖瓣反流或(和)明显的二尖瓣狭窄,均伴有明显的心功能衰竭.3例为二尖瓣成形术后再行二尖瓣置换术.均置入机械瓣膜,9例采用17 ～ 23号主动脉瓣反向置入,3例采用25～27号二尖瓣正向置入.结果 手术死亡1例(8.3％).术后心律失常2例,轻度溶血2例,经治疗均恢复正常.11例生存患儿心功能改善明显,未出现出血和血栓形成等异常情况.结论 严重二尖瓣病变对小年龄儿童的心功能影响极大,尽早手术干预是惟一的选择,二尖瓣置换术是二尖瓣成形手术效果不佳患儿的最后选择.采用型号相对较小的主动脉瓣倒置置入二尖瓣环内,基本解决了机械瓣瓣膜-患者不匹配的问题,但置入小型号机械瓣的患儿再次行二尖瓣置换术的可能较大;小年龄儿童有良好的抗凝依从性,但需加强监测抗凝指标,以防发生出血和栓塞.