From January 1983 to December 1988, 131 patients with ages iqual or less than 15 years old were submitted to valve surgery; 74 (56%) were of acquired ethiology and 57 (44%) were congenital. In 100 (76.3%) patients operation was performed in only one valve. There were 63 valve replacements (re-replacement in six), 103 conservative procedures and in three valve exereses was performed. Among the 63 prosthesis, 59 (93.6%) were biological and 4 (6.3%) mechanical. Twenty-one patients (16%) were reoperated upon, 17 (81%) of them due to prosthesis dysfunction. The average time of calcification was 40 months (3.3 years). Hospitaly mortality was 7.5% and late mortality was 2.2%. In the follow-up of 2787 months/patient all of them were in fuctional class I or II (NYHA).
heart valves; heart valves; heart valves; heart valves