[Valve replacement in children].
Between May 1979 and September 1998, 202 children underwent surgical treatment for valvular heart disease. Of these 23, who ranged in age from 25 days to 15 years, underwent valve replacement, including 1 reoperation. The valve replacement consisted of the aortic valve in 5 patients, the mitral valve in 3, the tricuspid valves in 9, including 5 systemic atrioventricular valves for atrioventricular discordance, the pulmonary valve in 6, 5 bioprostheses and 18 mechanical prostheses. There were 4 operative deaths, 1 hospital death and 3 late deaths. At the 10-years follow-up, the actual survival rate was 67.8%, the event free rate was 76.1% and the freedom from reoperation rate was 86.2%. Valve re-replacement was performed in only 1 patient due to a thrombosed tricuspid valve. These results suggest that there is a small risk of major complications and reoperation in children who undergo valve replacement, whether a bioprosthetic valve or a mechanical valve. The long-term results of younger patients should be followed more closely according to their growth.
Matsubayashi
K
K
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Tenri Hospital, Nara, Japan.
Ueda
Y
Y
Ogino
H
H
Sugita
T
T
Matsuyama
K
K
Nomoto
T
T
Yoshimura
S
S
Yoshioka
T
T
Matsumura
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000601:surgery; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000145:classification; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016019:Survival Analysis