Emergency heart valve replacement.
Sixteen patients with terminal cardiac failure due to valvular heart disease had emergency operation for value replacement. Four patients did not survive, because of irreversible myocardial or secondary organ involvement. The remainder, however, had immediate reversal of heart failure after operation, and all became fully active following discharge. Recognition of refractory decompensation in valvular heart disease demands prompt consideration of surgical intervention.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000601:surgery; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000601:surgery