Complications of cloth-covered prosthetic valves: results with a new mitral prosthesis.

During a 12 year period 5,103 cardiac prosthetic valves in 4,193 patients have been evaluated for performance and incidence of complications. As a result of our experience, the advantages of fewer embolic phenomena, associated with epithelialization in completely cloth-covered valves and those with cloth-covered seating rings, are outweighed by the problems of cloth wear, hemolysis, and hemodynamic obstruction from tissue overgrowth. A valve has been designed which incorporates the desirable features of full-flow orifice, low-profile, self-washing principle, polished contact surfaces, durable materials, and a large eccentric sewing ring into a new mitral prosthesis. Clinical evaluation in 394 patients from Aug. 1, 1971, through Dec. 31, 1973, has demonstrated excellent hemodynamic function and a low incidence of thromboembolic phenomenon.