Abstract

Early Clinical Results of BICARBON Valve Prosthesis. From January 1994 to July 1994, twenty patients underwent cardiac valve replacement with the BICARBON (BC) valve prosthesis. We implanted 10 BC prostheses in aortic, 11 in mitral, 1 in tricuspid position. Neither operative mortality nor late mortality were recognized with a mean follow-up of 18.4 months. Two patients required the reoperation. One of them underwent reMVR with SJM valve because of paravalvular leakage following MVR, another patient underwent re-operation where the direction of the implanted prosthetic valve hinge was changed due to interference with prosthetic valve motion by the preserved posterior mitral leaflet. Structural deterioration, thromboembolism, anticoagulant-related hemorrhage and prosthetic valve endocarditis were not recognized. Peak pressure gradient in aortic and mitral position and effective mitral orifice area were maintained within normal ranges as compared with the SJM valves by Doppler echo cardiography. Valve opening and closing angles revealed no abnormality by cinefluoroscopy. Postoperative hemodynamics were improved following surgery and serum LDH as parameter for hemolysis was maintained within normal ranges. These studies indicated that the early clinical results with the BC valve were satisfactory, although the further long term follow-up studies will be required.