Abstract
From March 1988 to May 1991, 140 CarboMedics cardiac valve prostheses[75 mitral, 9 aortic and 28 double aortic-mitral] were implanted in 112 consecutive patients[mean age 36.7$\pm$11.6 years, male/female 48/76] by one surgical team operating on adult cardiac patients at Kyoungpook University Hospital Associated Surgical procedures were performed in 19 patients[16.9%]. Total follow up represented 2,345 patient-months[mean 22.4 months] and was 100% complete. Eighty-two patients[73%] were in NYHA functional class IIIor IV preoperatively and 102 patients [95%] were in class I or II postoperatively. Hospital[30 day] mortality was 4.4%, [3/75 mitral, 1/9 aortic, 1/28 double valve replacement] and late death was 1.7%. [1 /74 mitral, 1 /28 double valve replacement] The actuarial survival at 36 months was 94.0% after mitral, 80% after aortic, 92% after double valve replacement, and 93.2% for the total group. The linearized incidence of valve relater death, prosthetic valve thrombosis, anticoagulant related hemorrhage, and reoperation was 1.00%/pt-yr, 0.51%/pt/yr, 0.51%/pt-yr, and 0.51%/pt-yr respectively. The 36 month rates of freedom from valve replated death, thromboembolism, endocarditis, anti-coagulant related hemorrages, and reoperation were 98.75%, 99.08%, 100%, 99.04%, and 99.08% respectively. The 36 month rate of freedom from all valve related complications and deaths including hospital mortality was 90.2%. These fact suggest that the CarboMedics heart valve has excellent short-term result, low incidence of valve-related complications and valve dysfunction, and additional long term follow up study is necessary.