Outcome of patients treated with a St. Jude prosthetic heart valve.

BACKGROUND Long-term outcome of patients treated with a St. Jude prosthetic heart valve was reported by investigators in Lausanne, Switzerland. This article quantifies the mortality and morbidity implications of single or multiple heart valve replacement. RESULTS After hospital discharge, mortality ratios were highest for duration 5-10 years, roughly comparable in patients who received a single valve, and generally higher in those who received both an aortic and a mitral valve prosthesis. Outcome varied with preoperative myocardial function, but there was no survival difference among subjects with a history of stenotic, regurgitant, or mixed lesions. Postoperative complications included embolism, anticoagulant-related hemorrhage, stroke, prosthesis thrombosis, endocarditis, prosthesis dysfunction, hemolytic anemia, and reoperation. CONCLUSIONS This study indicated that overall mortality experience was fairly comparable in patients who received a single St. Jude prosthetic heart valve and less favorable in those who received multiple valves. Long-term morbidity rates following insertion of a St. Jude prosthetic heart valve were high.