The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 76, 46-55, Copyright © 1978 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Comparative analysis of isolated aortic valve replacement with fascia lata and homograft valves
AS Soorae, H O'Kane, PJ Molloy and J Cleland
Thirty-eight consecutive patients who underwent isolated replacement of the
aortic valve with fascia lata in 1970 were compared with a similar series
of patients undergoing homograft replacement of the aortic valve. These
series were well matched in number, age sex of patients, symptomatology,
valvular disease, electrocardiographic and roentegenographic changes, and
preoperative cardiac catheterization data. The mean follow-up time was 73
months in the fascia lata series and 69.1 months in the homograft series,
and all the post-operative survivors were reviewed. The early and long-term
results were similar of the two series, and there was no statistical
difference in the operative and late mortality, the incidence of early and
late diastolic murmurs, valve failure necessitating valve replacement,
infective endocarditis, thromboembolism, over-all survival, and survival
with an intact valve. It is concluded that the long-term results of valve
replacement using these two tissues, in the aortic position, are similar
and there is little to choose between the two types of valves. If fascia
lata, as we believe, is no longer acceptable as a satisafactory valve
substitute, then homograft valves are not acceptable either.
