Due to good results obtained with glutaraldehyde preserved heterologous biological valves, the authors are performing a multicentric trial for the purpose of analysing the results of industrialized stentmounted glutaraldehyde preserved aortic homologous valves. We studied 63 patients, operated on from February 1984 to February 1986, with ages varying from 7 to 64 years (28 of them 44.5% less than 15 years old). Hospital mortality was 1.6% and was not related to the prosthesis. In the 62 remaining patients follow-up has ranged from 1 to 17 months in a total of 454 mo/patients. The only observed complication was one case of acute endocarditis. (Candida albicans) on the second postoperative month in a patient who had vaginal candidiasis and in whom a replacement was done. The other patients are doing well, all NYHA class II. The authors expect that homologous valves will be better on a long term basis than its heterologous counterparts.
aortic valve; aortic valve; aortic valve, prosthesis