EARLY CLINICAL AND HEMODYNAMIC EVALUATION OF THE DUROMEDICS PROSTHESES IN MITRAL POSITION

Abstract

The Duromedics (DM) prosthetic valves were implanted in the mitral position in 20 cases. Neither an early nor a late death was encountered. There was no valverelated complication, so far, during the mean follow-up of 12 months. The early clinical and hemodynamic results were evaluated comparing with those of the St. Jude Medical (SJM) and the Bjork-Shiley (B·S) prostheses. An order of SJM. DM and BS with serum LDH and bilirubin values from higher to lower was seen. Hemodynamic study was assessed with a continuous wave Doppler. Mitral pressure gradients were same in all three mechanical valves. However, effective prosthetic valve orf ice area was significantly larger in DM group than SJM and BS group.