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One hundred and fifty-five patients with isolated mitral regurgitation were referred from our Department of Cardiology for mitral valve repair between 1972 and 1990. Men were in the majority (59%), the mean age was 51 years and 61% of the patients were in NYHA class III or IV. Degenerative or dystrophic etiologies predominated, followed by rheumatic origins (17%) and bacterial endocarditis (14%). Surgical repair was performed using Carpentier's techniques: insertion of a prosthetic ring (87%) valvular resection (73%), valvular mobilization (11%), closure of a perforation (4,5%) and resection of vegetations (4,5%). Two patients died during surgery and 7 were lost to follow-up; the others were followed for an average of 4 years, i.e., a cumulative follow-up of 584 years/patients. The overall results at 11.5 years were satisfactory: 84.5% survival rate and 64.5% with good valvular function. The linearized rates of endocarditis, thromboemboli, hemorrhagic complications (51 patients were taking anticoagulants) and repeated interventions were, respectively: 0.35, 1.54, 0.17 and 2.05%/patient-year. Residual mitral regurgitation was sought by clinical and Doppler examinations: 55.5% of the patients had none, 26% had mild, 10.3% had moderate and 8.2% had severe regurgitation. Analysis of the latter two groups identified 3 influencing factors: rheumatic origin of the regurgitation, surgery on the anterior cusp and the year surgery was performed (the post-surgical incidence has decreased in recent years). Other, less-well-known complications were also found: left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, progressive evolution towards mitral stenosis, development of aortic regurgitation (usually discreet) and formation of left atrial thrombi.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The effects of age on the risks and results of heart valve replacement are often discussed in aortic stenosis, a degenerative condition of elderly patients. We assessed this factor in a study based on two groups of patients operated consecutively between 1968 and 1980. Group A comprised 127 patients of over 65 years of age (range 66 to 79 years, mean 70 +/- 3 years), and Group B: 259 patients of less than 65 years of age (21 to 65 years, mean 53 +/- 9 years). Preoperative assessment showed a higher proportion of women and significantly more severe lesions in Group A: a greater number of patients in functional class 3 or 4, cases of congestive cardiac failure, greater cardiac volumes, lower cardiac index. The incidence of coronary artery disease was also higher. A greater number of aortic valve bioprostheses was used in Group A. Operative mortality was significantly higher in Group A (15 p. 100, compared to 6 p. 100 in Group B: p less than 0.01). The influence of age was independent of other risk factors as shown by a multifactorial analysis taking several prognostic factors into account simultaneously. Long term survival was significantly lower in Group A, but their life expectancy did not differ from that of a control group. The causes of postoperative or late death were the same in both groups. At the end of the 6th year, 66 p. 100 of the survivors of surgery in Group A were in functional classes I or II compared to 77 p. 100 in Group B (NS). These results justify this type of surgery in elderly patients, even at advanced stages of their disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)