COMPARISON OF PORCINE VALVE XENOGRAFTS WITH MECHANICAL PROSTHESES - A 71/2 YEAR EXPERIENCE

Abstract

A total of 479 valve replacements were performed in 469 patients for aortic, mitral and tricuspid disease. A total of 529 valves were implanted (311 Carpentier-Edwards, 118 Hancock, 94 Bjork-Shiley and 6 other mechanical valves). Of the 479 operations, 51.1% (245) were carried out in male patients and 48.9% (234) were carried out in female patients. The mean age was 57.6 yr; however, 28.6% (137) of the operations were performed in patients over 65 yr of age. One hundred five patients (21.9%) had had previous cardiac operations of 1 type of another. Follow-up was 99.6% and the average length of follow-up was 36.2 mo. The overall operative mortality was 5.6%. The operative mortality in the isolated aortic valve replacement group was 2.0% and that in the mitral valve replacement group, 4.4%. There was a 5.9% valve explant rate in the Hancock series; however, no valve explants were required because of valve dysfunction in either the Carpentier-Edwards or the Bjork-Shiley groups. The thromboembolic rate in the aortic valve position was 2.4, 1.1 and 2.1 emboli/100 patient-yr in the Hancock, Carpentier-Edwards and Bjork-Shiley groups, respectively. The thromboembolic rate in the mitral valve position was 2.8, 2.2 and 1.0 emboli/100 patient-yr in the Hancock, Carpentier-Edwards and Bjork-Shiley groups, respectively.