Long-Term Follow-up of Carpentier-Edwards Porcine Bioprosthesis

From 1976 to 1986, sixty-nine Carpentier-Edwards standard porcine bioprostheses (60 mitral, 9 tricuspid) were implanted in 69 patients. Twently of them were male and 49 were female. Mean age at implantation was 30,1 years. Follow-up and investigation were carried out in 53 patients for 1-10 postoperative years to evaluate the end results of this type of valve replacement that included various aspects of hemodynamic values, development of valve dysfunction, rate of thromboembolic events, valve suture deficiency, infectious endocarditis, hemolysis and mortality rate. Postoperatively, the functional capacity of all patients was improved: peripheral emboli developed in 3 cases (% 5.6). valve dysfunction was noted in 23 (% 47) and infective valve endocarditis in 3 patients (% 5.6), but signs of valve suture deficiency or hemolysis was not observed. Total mortality rate was 7,5 percent corresponding to 3 operative death and one death during the long-term follow-up period.