Risk-benefit analysis of warfarin therapy in Hancock mitral valve replacement.

The purpose of this investigation was to analyze the thromboembolic and/or major bleeding complications of 124 consecutive but nonrandomized patients who had only mitral valve replacement with the Hancock porcine xenograft between September, 1974 and June, 1979. These patients were treated either with or without anticoagulants. Four basic study groups were created: Group 1, warfarin; Group 2, aspirin; Group 3, no anticoagulants; and Group 4, warfarin and aspirin.

Thrombosis and degeneration of Hancock valves: clinical and pathological findings.

Of 415 Hancock valves implanted in 370 patients, 26 valve specimens were recovered at postmortem examination and 8 at reoperation. In 9 of these 34, thrombosis had formed without apparent alteration of the heterograft tissue (Group A). All were mitral prostheses, and the thrombi were attached to the sewing ring.

Thromboembolic complications after mitral valve replacement with Hancock xenograft.

Case histories of 140 patients who had mitral valve replacement with the Hancock xenograft were reviewed according to the incidence of thromboembolic complications. There were 16 patients with preoperative and/or postoperative low-output syndrome (Group A.) Eight of these patients died, and six had autopsies which showed major thrombi on the heterograft valve.

The surgical management of bacterial endocarditis: a review.

A total of 239 surgically treated patients with primary endocarditis were reviewed both from the literature and from our own experience. The age range was 10 to 74 years with a male to female ratio of 3:1. A wide variety of organisms was found.

Acquired ventricular septal defects. Evolution of an operation, surgical technique, and results.

The pathology and treatment of 19 patients with acquired ventricular septal defects (VSD's) secondary to myocardial infarction are presented. A new method of repair is described: suturing the free right ventricular wall against the VSD to support the friable septum on the right side in continuity with the patch on the left side of the septum. This removes the force of the left ventricle contraction from the patch and septum to the healthy right ventricle wall.

Elective operations for left ventricular asynergy.

, , 282-286. Operative results in 45 patients with symptomatic left ventricular asynergy are reviewed. The main symptoms were congestive heart failure in 77·7%, angina in 31·1%, arrhythmias in 11·1%, and systemic thromboembolism in 2·2% of the patients.