Valvar replacement with a g lutara Id eh yde-pre served, homologous aortic valve in a flexible stent is an original procedure of which we made preliminary reports. We now present up-dated information and follow-up data in a larger cohort of patients. Until now 118 patients have received the prosthesis, most oi them defined as a "high-risk" due either to age less than 15 years old or due to calcification of a previous bioprosthesis. Ages varied from 5 to 66 years (median: 20 y/o); 62 patients (52.5%) were children and 18 (15.3%) had a calcified bioprosthesis. The procedures performed were 88 isolated mitral valve replacement, 9 mitral and aortic replacement, 8 isolated aortic valve and 2 isolated tricuspid substitution. Hospital mortality was 2.5% (3/118); post-operative follow-up consisted of 2614 months/patient with complete and detailed direct follow-up obtained in 91% of survivors, Survival was 94.9%. at 36 months with only 3 deaths in the 115 patients who were discharged from hospital. In our experience and in the literature these results are superior to those with other biological prosthesis: it seems likely that this prosthesis will be highly recommended, specially for children, jf these results are maintained in longer periods.
heart valves; heart valves; heart valves