title: Clinical and Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of bioprosthetic valve failure after 10 years.
abstract: Four hundred thirteen consecutive patients underwent valve replacement with a bioprosthesis between 1976 and 1982. Aortic valve replacement was performed in 240 patients, mitral valve replacement in 132 patients, and multiple valve replacement in 41. The Carpentier-Edwards porcine (n = 336), Angell-Shiley porcine (n = 23), Hancock porcine (n = 11), and the Ionescu-Shiley pericardial valves (n = 43) were inserted. Follow-up between 5 and 12 years postoperatively was 98% complete. Freedom from structural valve deterioration was 72 +/- 7%, 59 +/- 9%, and 59 +/- 9%, respectively, after aortic, mitral, and double valve replacement. The risk of structural valve deterioration and reoperation for valve-related complications was significantly increased with the Ionescu-Shiley pericardial prosthesis. The risk for reoperation was inversely related to patient age. Postoperative Doppler echocardiographic studies in 87% of available patients revealed a subgroup of asymptomatic patients with evidence of structural valve deterioration. These patients (n = 61) had significantly reduced prosthetic valve areas (aortic less than 1 cm2, mitral less than 1.7 cm2), elevated resting transvalvular gradients (aortic greater than 40 mm Hg), or moderate-to-severe regurgitation. In summary, postoperative Doppler echocardiographic examination identified asymptomatic patients with structural valve dysfunction. These patients must be followed up carefully to determine the optimal timing of reoperation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Toronto General Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Teoh
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ivanov
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Weisel
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Darcel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rakowski
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012086:Reoperation; D013997:Time Factors