Long-term outcome after valve replacement with the omnicarbon prosthesis

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Biomaterials Science
• Clinical Outcomes Research

Background:

• Assessing long-term prognosis after prosthetic valve replacement is crucial for patient management.
• The Omnicarbon tilting-disc prosthesis is a specific type of artificial heart valve used in surgical procedures.
• Rheumatic valvular pathology is a common indication for valve replacement surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term prognosis of patients who received valve replacement with the Omnicarbon tilting-disc prosthesis.
• To determine the impact of this specific prosthesis on survival and quality of life.
• To assess valve-related complications and functional capacity post-implantation.

Main Methods:

• Prospective data collection for 153 valve replacement cases using the Omnicarbon prosthesis (February 1985 - January 1986).
• Detailed recording of surgical data, including type of valve replacement (aortic, mitral, double).
• Comprehensive follow-up of 151 patients (99% completion rate) for up to 14 years.

Main Results:

• 10-year survival was 68%, falling to 57% at 14 years, with specific rates for aortic (AVR), mitral (MVR), and double valve replacement (DVR).
• Low rates of thromboembolic (91-94% freedom at 10-14 years) and hemorrhagic events were observed.
• Excellent functional outcomes with 95% of patients in NYHA class I or II at follow-up, indicating sustained improvement in quality of life.

Conclusions:

• The Omnicarbon tilting-disc valve demonstrates reliable and satisfactory long-term performance.
• Patient survival and quality of life outcomes exceeded expectations following implantation.
• Low rates of valve-related complications and sustained functional improvement support the use of this prosthesis.