Pulmonary Valve Replacement With a Bovine Pericardial Valve A Five Year Follow-Up Study

Objectives:From a population of 90 patients after pulmonary valve replacement with a biological valve (Carpentier-Edwards Perimount valve), 56 of 80 available patients were examined five years after surgery.Background:Pulmonary valve replacement is needed in many patients with congenital heart disease. Homografts have limited availability and predictable degeneration, and mechanical valves require anticoagulation. No superiority of one kind of pulmonary valve replacement has been shown. Biological valves that are readily available are being used and evaluated in increasing numbers.Methods:In this cross-sectional study, five years following surgery, data were gathered from hospital charts, echocardiography, stress echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and exercise testing.Results:In 90 patients, there were three new valve replacements, one early cardiac death, and four late noncardiac deaths. Echocardiographic assessment of the study group showed pulmonary Doppler velocities (m/s) before, after ope...