title: Aortic valve replacement with mechanical and biologic prosthesis in middle-aged patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mechanical prostheses are used in young patients and bioprostheses in the elderly because of the higher rate of structural failure of bioprostheses. The objective of the present study was to compare results after aortic valve replacement with mechanical (Carbo-Medics) and biologic (Carpentier-Edwards pericardial) in middle-aged patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred twenty-one patients, aged between 55 and 65 years, who underwent aortic valve replacement with mechanical (n = 363) or biologic (n = 158) prostheses were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 10-year actuarial survival rate averaged 66%+/-6% in patients implanted with mechanical valves compared with 75%+/-4% in patients implanted with biologic valves (p = 0.2). The 10-year freedom rate from thromboembolism, hemorrhage, and endocarditis averaged 92%+/-7%, 97%+/-2%, and 99%+/-1%, respectively, in patients with mechanical valves compared with 91%+/-3% (p = 0.03), 99%+/-1% (p = 0.4), and 95%+/-2% (p = 0.01), respectively, in those with biologic valves. The 10-year freedom rate from all valve-related complications averaged 90%+/-7% and 83%+/-4%, respectively (p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The freedom rate from all valve-related complications was higher among patients with mechanical valves compared with biologic valves 10 years after aortic valve replacement in middle-aged patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Montreal Heart Institute, and the University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. carrier@icm.umontreal.ca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carrier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellerin
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Perrault
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pagé
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hébert
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cartier
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dyrda
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Pelletier
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000367:Age Factors; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002423:Cause of Death; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012086:Reoperation; D015996:Survival Rate