Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Concomitant Aortic and Mitral Valve Surgery in Northern New England

BACKGROUND: Concomitant aortic (AV) and mitral (MV) valve surgery accounts for 4% of all valve procedures in northern New England. We examined in-hospital and long-term mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: This is a report of a prospective study of 1057 patients undergoing concomitant AV and MV surgery from 1989 to 2007. The Social Security Administration Death Master File was used to assess long-term survival. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests were performed. In-hospital mortality was 15.5% (11.0% for patients <70 years, 18.0% for 70- to 79-year-olds, and 24% for those > or =80 years). Overall median survival was 7.3 years. Median survival without coronary artery bypass grafting was 9.5 years and with coronary artery bypass grafting was 5.7 years (P<0.001). Survival in women was worse than in men (7.3 versus 9.3, years, P=0.033). Median survival by age was 11.0 years for patients <70 years, 5.4 years for 70- to 79-year-olds, and 4.8 years for those > or =80 years. Median survival was not significantly different for patients > or =80 years compared with those who were 70 to 79 years old (P=0.245). CONCLUSIONS: Double-valve surgery has a high in-hospital mortality rate and a median survival of 7.3 years. After patients have survived surgery, long-term survival is similar between men and women, smaller and larger patients, and those receiving MV repair or replacement. Survival continues to decline after surviving surgery for patients > or =70 years old and those who undergo concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting. In patients <70 years, either mechanical valves in both positions or a tissue AV and mitral repair have the lowest in-hospital mortality and the best long-term survival. In patients > or =70 years, tissue valves in both positions have the best in-hospital and long-term survival.