[Clinical and hemodynamic long-term result of substituting the mitral valve using a Beall prosthesis]

A follow-up study of 31 patients, 1 1/2 years after they underwent a mitral valve replacement with a Beall prosthesis, is reported. Eighty-four per cent of the patients experienced marked improvement of symptoms and are fully active. Late cardiac recatheterization has showed a decrease of pulmonary wedge pressure, both at rest and under exercise. The prosthesis area has been found to be smaller than the original size. Hemolysis related to the prosthesis is of moderate degree and the incidence of systemic embolism was 3.1%.