Abstract
Seven children aged 3 to 14 years, underwent cardiac valve replacement with a St. Jude Medical valve prosthesis. In 4, the valve was placed in the aortic position, in 2 in the mitral position and in 1 in the aortic and mitral position. Three patients underwent Konno's procedure. We followed up them from 2.3 to 9.3 years (mean follow-up 6.0 years). There were no operative or hospital deaths. One patient died after delivery by caesarean section 9.3 years after the operation. All patients recieved warfarin and antiplatelet agents for postoperative anticoagulation and no thromboembolic or bleeding complications occured. All survivors did not need reoperation and they were in New York Heart Association functional class 1 without somatic growth retardation.
