Long-term results of mitral valve replacement (Report of 3 416 cases)

Objective To study the long-term results of mitral valve replacement (MVR). Methods 3 416 patients undergoing MVR alone between December 1978 and December 2003 were retrospectively studied. Total follow-up time was 24 735.83 patient-year. Mortality, morbidity and risk factors were analyzed by SPSS software. Results The 30-day mortality was 3.25%. The main cause of operative death was heart failure. Long-term survival rate after 10 and 20 years were(94.58±0.63)% and(86.36±0.74)%, respectively. There were 207 late deaths (0.84% case-year), the main causes of death were heart failure and infection. Risk factors for MVR included heart function class IV (NYHA), renal failure, severe infection and multi organs function incompetence. Conclusion Timely decision of the operation for mitral valve disease is very important. Tricuspid regurgitation, arrhythmia and rheumatism recurrence after MVR can depreciate significantly long-term results of MVR.