Heart valve replacement with CarboMedics bileaflet prosthesis: surgical results and clinical evaluation. A medium term follow-up.

From March 1990 to July 1991, 110 patients (44 males, 66 females; mean age 54.44 +/- 8.8 years) underwent hearth valve replacement with a CarboMedics bileaflet prosthesis (CarboMedics Inc, Texas, USA). Preoperative pathophysiologic conditions were: aortic stenosis in 32 patients, aortic regurgitation in 22 patients; mitral stenosis in 27 patients and mitral regurgitation in 14 patients. Mitroaortic disease was present in 14 patients but 1 had triple valve disease. NYHA class was III or IV in 91 patients (83%). Operative mortality rate was 0.91% (1 patients). Actuarial survival rate is 95% at 58 months. Actuarial freedom from thromboembolic events in 95% at 58 months. Actuarial freedom from hemorrhage is 100%. Endocarditis befell in 2 patients; actuarial freedom from this complication at 58 months is 95%. Actuarial freedom from reoperation in 99%. We conclude that the low incidence of valve related events and the low mortality supports the use of the bileaflet valve CarboMedics.