Short- and mid-term results of triple-valve surgery with an evaluation of postoperative quality of life.

The decision to proceed with triple-valve surgery should take into account reasonable estimates of the risk of the surgery and of the potential benefit to be gained. In the present study, we reviewed our experience with triple-valve surgery, focusing on short-term death and morbidity, mid-term survival, and postoperative quality of life.Among 107 patients with multiple-valve disease who underwent triple-valve surgery at Tehran University Heart Center from January 2002 through December 2007, 100 patients with complete, recorded data were entered into the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics and in-hospital postoperative complications were considered. Among 66 patients whose mid-term operative outcomes we were able to determine, these results were evaluated, together with their quality of life, during a mean follow-up period of 45.0 +/- 12.4 months.In-hospital mortality and morbidity rates were 5% and 61%, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier survival rate for the 66 monitored patients was 82.6%. Freedom from readmission was 77.3%, and freedom from rehospitalization was 89.4%. Freedom from thromboembolism was 87.8%, and freedom from anticoagulant-related hemorrhage was 91.3%. In the quality-of-life assessment, suitable physical and social activities were reported in 65.1% and 60.6% of patients, respectively. Although 63.6% of patients were satisfied with the results of the operation, only 51.5% were able to continue their work.Despite patients' satisfaction with early outcomes of triple-valve surgery and their acceptable mid-term survival rates, the improvement of quality of life after surgery is still far from ideal.