Late outcome of patients with Braunwald-Cutter mitral valve replacement.

Eighty patients who underwent mitral valve replacement (MVR) with Braunwald-Cutter prostheses (54, single valve replacement; 26, multiple valve replacement) between December, 1972, and September, 1975, are discussed. The period of follow-up ranged from 72 to 120 months with a mean of 84.6 months. For the hospital survivors, actuarial survival at ten years was 73 +/- 6.7% for patients with MVR alone and 30 +/- 17.5% for those with multiple valve replacement. The linearized rate of embolic complications in patients with MVR was 3.2% per year and in patients with multiple valve replacement, 1.5% per year. These low rates of embolism allow a favorable comparison of the Braunwald-Cutter valve with other mechanical prostheses. There was no evidence of serious poppet wear or poppet escape after ten years of the valve in the mitral and tricuspid positions. Thus, elective replacement of the Braunwald-Cutter valve from the atrioventricular position because of this potential problem is not considered necessary. In the aortic position, escape of the poppet from the valve has occurred as late as 101 months. The overall morbidity for the group was high. Only 34% of the patients having MVR and 12% of those with multiple valve replacement are expected to be alive and to remain free from any major complication ten years after operation.