Experience with Hall-Kaster Valves

Abstract

One hundred Hall-Kaster valves were implanted in 97 patients over an eight- year period: 53 had a single aortic valve, 33 a single mitral valve, and 11 a double valve replacement. In the last group, 3 had a double Hall-Kaster and 7 a single Hall-Kaster with other type of surgery in the second valve. Mean age was fifty-three years with a male/female ratio of 1.69; 65% of patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV preoperatively, and 17% had concomitant operations (coronary artery bypass, tricuspid anuloplasty, left ven tricular aneurysm resection, etc.). Percentages of early and late deaths were 14% (14 patients) and 12% (10 patients) respectively. Early mortality was re lated to age, concomitant operations, and left ventricular dysfunction. One early death was due to valve malfunction. Late mortality was mainly due to left ventricular dysfunction. All patients were anticoagulated and no valve throm bosis occurred. Three patients (3%) had thromboembolic episodes and 3 (3%) had bleeding episodes; 9 patients (9%) had valvular regurgitation, leading to some hemolysis in only 3 patients. After surgery 88% of survivors returned to NYHA class I or II. The actuarial survival of the group at eight years is 72%.

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References

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