CARDIAC-VALVE PROSTHESES AT AUTOPSY - AN ANALYSIS OF 337 CASES WITH CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL CORRELATION

We evaluated the pathologic findings at autopsy in 337 patients who ha d undergone cardiac valve replacement over 10 years (1982 to 1991). Rh eumatic heart disease was the most common indication for valve replace ment (84% Of cases). Among the 255 patients with short-term survival ( <1 month), in 162 cases (63.5%), the cause of death was related to sur gery and/or underlying cardiovascular conditions. Host-prosthetic valv e interactions contributed to mortality in 14.9% cases. However, in lo ngtime survivors (82 patients), a significant number (86.5%) showed ev idence of prosthesis-related complications, such as infective endocard itis, thrombosis, anticoagulant-related hemorrhage, and bioprosthetic valve degeneration. (C) 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc.