Postoperative Clinical Evaluation of Mechanical Valve Replacement

기계적판막의 임상적 고찰

In the department of chest surgery of WonKwang university hospital, mechanical valve replacement was performed in 51 cases from June 1985 to September 1987. Among these, 32 cases were mitral valve replacement, 4 cases were aortic valve replacement, and 15 cases were double valve replacement. 26 cases were male and 25 cases were female and age distribution ranged from 16 years old to 63 years old. Early death within 30 days after operation was 2 cases [3.9%] and causes of death were right heart failure [1] and right ventricular wall rupture [1]. Among 49 early survivors, 2 cases of late death were developed and the causes of death were cardiomyopathy [1] and ventricular arrhythmia [1] Anticoagulant therapy was done with warfarin sodium to the level of 1.5-2 times of normal prothrombin time [20-40%] in 47 survivors. Symptomatically, 93.6% of preoperative NYHA functional class III or IV were converted to the NYHA functional class I or II during follow up.