Long-term results of surgery on aortic valve diseases.

At the Heart Institute of Japan, Tokyo Women's Medical College, 474 aortic valve replacements (AVR) are performed using various kinds of prosthetic devices during the period of 1965, 5-1978, 12. Most popular valve prosthesis was Björk-Shiley valve totalling 215. 56 cases were subjected to study of more than 5 years follow up. They carried operative mortality of 16.1% and late mortality of 7.1%. Thromboembolism was 5.4%. 3 patients delivered 4 normal full term babies. There were 4 reoperations for aortic orifice with successful outcome. Cardiothoracic ratio, left ventricular strain pattern on ECG, blood pressure, pulmonary artery wedge pressure, cardiac indices, ejection fraction, end-diastolic volume have post-operatively returned almost to normal in majority of cases. Actuarial survival curve beyond 6 years after AVR was 98% up to 9 years.