title: Clinical outcomes after aortic valve replacement with the Toronto stentless porcine valve.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hemodynamic benefits of the Toronto stentless porcine valve have been documented. Clinical well-being and freedom from major valve-related events have been less well defined.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 447 patients were prospectively followed for up to 8 years (1,745.2 valve years total, 3.9 valve years/patient). The patient demographics included 66% men, mean age 65 years, New York Heart Association functional class III-IV 55%, concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting 41%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that 83.7% of patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I and 80.8% had 0 to 1+ aortic insufficiency. Mean gradient at 6 years (n = 75) was 4.4 mm Hg and mean effective orifice area (EOA) 2.4 cm2. Late adverse event rates per patient per year were: embolism 1.0%, endocarditis 0.4%, thrombosis 0%, structural deterioration 0.2%, explant 0.3%, and valve-related death 0.6%. Freedom from valve-related death at 6 years was 95.8%; from cardiac death 96.3%. Freedom from endocarditis was 98.4%, from embolism 93.9%, from structural deterioration 97.4%, and freedom from explant 98.1%. For patients older than 60 years, freedom from structural deterioration was 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results confirm satisfactory clinical outcomes after aortic valve replacement with the Toronto stentless porcine valve, with a low incidence of valve-related adverse events as long as 96 months after valve replacement.
authors.affiliation: Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. bernard.goldman@swchsc.on.ca
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Pepper
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Verrier
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Petracek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D015607:Stents; D015996:Survival Rate