Late-term results of mitral valve replacement with St. Jude Medical mechanical valve prosthesis: Samsun experience.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: We have reported the short- and long-term results of mitral valve replacement in this article.

METHODS

Mitral valve replacement was conducted in 276 patients in our clinic between January 1989 and March 2005. The youngest patient was 4 years old and the oldest patient was 74 years old. Mean age was 40.08 +/- 1.06 y. Of these patients, 41.3% were men and 58.7% were women. The reason for operation was mitral stenosis in 96 patients (34.78%), mitral insufficiency in 78 patients (29.26%) and mitral stenosis plus mitral insufficiency in 102 patients (36.96%). The aetiology of mitral valve lesions was acute rheumatic fever in 208 patients (75.36%). The aetiology of mitral valve lesions was degenerative in 37 patients (13.41%), ischaemic in 23 patients (8.33%) and congenital in 8 patients (2.9%).

RESULTS

In the 5, 10 and 15-year periods, the actual survival rates were 87.64% +/- 2.02%, 83.35% +/- 2.38% and 68.19% +/- 5.63%, respectively. Thromboembolism was observed in 38 patients (13.77%). The rates of actual freedom from thromboembolism in the 5, 10 and 15-year periods were 93.08% +/- 1.53%, 88.48% +/- 1.99% and 81.06% +/- 3.43%, respectively. Of the 276 patients who had been observed for 15 years, 5 had (1.81%) valvular thrombosis. The rates of actual freedom from valvular thrombosis in the 5, 10 and 15-year periods were 98.89% +/- 0.64%, 98.04% +/- 0.87% and 98.04% +/- 0.87%, respectively. In the 15-year period, 23 patients (8.33%) had haemorrhage due to anti-coagulation. The rates of actual freedom from haemorrhage due to anti-coagulation in the 5, 10 and 15-year periods were 95.64% +/- 1.23%, 93.40% +/- 1.56% and 87.73% +/- 2.96%, respectively. Seven patients (2.54%) had prosthetic valvular endocarditis. The rates of actual freedom from endocarditis in the 5, 10 and 15-year periods were 98.51% +/- 0.74%, 97.60% +/- 0.97% and 97.01% +/- 1.13%, respectively. Nine patients (3.27%) were re-operated. The rates of actual freedom from re-operation in the 5, 10 and 15-year periods were 97.45% +/- 0.95%, 96.58% +/- 1.12% and 96.58% +/- 1.12%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

St. Jude Medical mechanical valve prosthesis has been the valve of choice in our clinic owing to its excellent haemodynamic properties and low rates of complication.