title: Long-term follow-up in 185 patients after mitral valve replacement with the Lillehei-Kaster prosthesis. Overall results and prosthesis-related complications.
abstract: A follow-up was carried out in 185 patients after mitral valve replacement with the Lillehei-Kaster prosthesis. Fifty-eight males and one hundred and twenty-seven females provided a total of 876 years of observation. The operative mortality amounted to 13% for the total series and to 9.3% after elective surgery. The long-term survival for the total series was 67% after five years and 56% after 10 years. The great majority of survivors showed a marked improvement in functional capacity and a significant decrease in heart volume. In spite of long-term anticoagulant treatment thromboembolic events were the most frequent valve-related complications. Thrombosis of the valve occurred in eight patients and appeared to decrease with a change in the orientation of the valve. The percentage of patients free from thromboembolic events amounted to 76 +/- 5% after ten years. The percentage of patients free from valve-related morbidity and mortality was 66 +/- 5% after ten years. Valve related death accounted for 18% of all deaths and 26% of all late deaths. Fracture of the prosthesis was never encountered. These results compare favourably with those obtained with the Starr Edwards' or the Björk-Shiley prostheses.
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery*; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000401:mortality*; D013997:Time Factors