title: Conservative surgical treatment of valvular injury after blunt chest trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blunt injury to the cardiac valves leads to progressive ventricular failure often requiring surgical management. Most frequently, prosthetic replacement is the chosen management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three consecutive patients presenting to one surgeon with blunt traumatic valve lesions formed the study group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At operation, the valvular pathology was assessed, and reparative techniques were used to correct the defects. All the patients had an excellent outcome at follow-up periods of 2 to 3 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Conservative operation to repair traumatic valve lesions is feasible and has potential advantages over replacement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, England.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Halstead
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hosseinpour
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*