Predictors Of Outcome After Reoperation For Prosthetic Mitral Valve

60 patients with mitral valve dysfunction after prosthetic valve implantation were the subjects of this study. They presented to surgery during the period between January 2002 and October 2004. Patients included in this study were classified into 3 groups: prosthetic valve thrombosis (P.V.T.), prosthetic valve paravalvular leak (P.V.L.) and prosthetic valve endocarditis (P.V.E.). These groups represented the main cause of reoperation after mitral valve surgery during the period of this study.The time elapsed between the primary operation and the onset of valve dysfunction varied according to the type of valve dysfunction. It was 52.3 months + 6.3 for prosthetic valve thrombosis, 30.6 months + 20 for prosthetic valve endocarditis and 21.3 months + 10.4 for prosthetic paravalvular leak.While dysfunction of a perfunctory valve represents a catastrophic.problem, especially prosthetic valve thrombosis and prosthetic valve endocarditis, the proshetic paravalvular leak may occur in a relatively asymptomatic patients.In addition to clinical features of the valve dysfunction on admission and laboratory findings especially blood cultures for patients with suspected P.V.E.and abnormal Coagulation profile found in majority of patients with suspected P.V.T., our diagnosis for any case with suspected mitral valve dysfunction was confirmed by complete echocardiographic study.