The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 71, 218-225, Copyright © 1976 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Results of mitral valve replacement with the Beall prosthesis in 209 patients
J Fermandez, D Morse, P Spagna, G Lemole, A Gooch, SS Yang and V Maranhao
In this 3 year study of 209 patients who underwent mitral valve replacement
with the newer Beall prostheses (Models 104 and 105) the operative
mortality rate was 5.2 per cent. None of these deaths was related to the
valve. This prosthesis features a larger frustrum area and a "turtle-neck"
sewing ring which permits its rapid insertion with a continuous suture
technique. Of the 20 (9.5 per cent) late deaths, two were due to thrombosis
of the valve. Among the 178 survivors, 17 developed thromboembolic
complications; however, 10 of these patients recovered. Late clinical
results have been quite satisfactory in over 90 per cent of the survivors.
In the 15 patients who underwent hemodynamic studies postoperatively, the
cardiac index and pulmonary artery pressure showed significant improvement;
however, they still had transvalvular gradients at rest. The improvement in
the design of this prosthesis has been an important factor in lowering the
operative risk and improving the late results of mitral valve replacement.