Abstract
Since 1990, 52 CarboMedics bileaflet valves (CM) were implanted in 50 patients; 25 aortic valve replacements (AVR), 23 mitral valve replacements (MVR), and 2 double valve replacements (DVR). Between 1982 and 1994, we implanted St. Jude Medical valves (SJM) in 128 patients (AVR: 65, MVR: 55, DVR: 8). The mean follow-up time was 31 months for CM and 53 months for SJM. The early mortality rate was 6.0% (CM) and 4.7% (SJM). The 1-year actuarial survival rate was 87.8% (CM) and 93.7% (SJM), and that for 3 years was 85.6% (CM) and 92.4% (SJM). There were no significant differences in overall survival rates and event-free survival rates between two groups. During the follow-up period, no valve-related death was found in CM group. These results encourage an increasing utilization of the CarboMedics prosthesis.
