Why the study?
What are the 20-year survival and complication rates in patients who underwent total mitral valve replacement?
What are the 20-year survival and complication rates in patients who underwent total mitral valve replacement?
Long-term follow-up of early mitral valve replacements demonstrates a 15% 20-year survival rate, with frequent major cardiac events and complications related to inadequate anticoagulation.
High event rates after early mitral valve replacement warrant long-term vigilance; leaves open impact of contemporary anticoagulation on outcomes.
Records of the first 100 patients surviving operation for total mitral valve replacement at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (1962-1964) were reviewed to determine long-term results. After 20 years, 15 patients were still alive, but 13 had sustained a major cardiac event. Complications related to lack of anticoagulant therapy for patients with mechanical prostheses were frequent. No patient-related variable examined appeared to preclude 20-year survival.
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Lytle et al. (1985) studied this question.