Abstract
Between April, 1990 and September, 1991, a total of 68 CarboMedics prosthetic valves (30 Aortic, 36 Mitral and 2 Tricuspid) were used in 53 patients. We evaluated this valve function with SJM valve by using of Doppler echocardiogram and cardiac catheterization. There were 3 early deaths (5.7%) which were not related with prosthetic valve. And there were no incidences of thrombosed valve, thrombo-embolism and hemolysis. Three patients had paravalvular leakages by color Doppler echocardiogram but which were not significant. Mean values of pressure gradient in mitral valve and aortic valve positions and those of mitral valve area and effective orifice of aortic valve were examined by use of a Doppler chocardiogram and cardiac catheterization. These results indicated that CarboMedics prosthesis had good post-operative hemodynamic findings as compared with a similar type of bi-leaf let valve of SJM prosthesis in both aortic and mitral positions. This CarboMedics prosthetic valve provides us excellent clinical and hemodynamic results in relative short-term follow up period.
