title: Valve surgery in acute rheumatic heart disease. One- to four-year follow-up.
abstract: Six patients with acute rheumatic carditis and intractable left ventricular failure, all in class 4 NYHA classification, underwent successful valve surgery combined with medical therapy. Two-dimensional echocardiography and Doppler studies showed all of them to have left ventricular dilatation, with good systolic function, together with severe mitral regurgitation; two patients also had severe aortic regurgitation. Over a mean follow-up period of two years, no mortality was recorded, and all six patients were in NYHA class 1-2. We conclude that valve replacement is not contraindicated in acute rheumatic carditis and may be preferable to repair.
authors.affiliation: Riyadh Cardiac Centre, Riyadh Military Hospital, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: al Kasab
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: al Fagih
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahid
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Habbab
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: al Zaibag
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*