Experience with cardiac valve operations in Cape York Peninsula and the Torres Strait Islands, Australia

To describe the outcome of valve surgery, for rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and non-RHD, in residents of Cape York Peninsula and the Torres Strait Islands referred to the Cairns Base Hospital specialist outreach service.

Retrospective review of medical records on all patients residing in the outreach area who had surgery for valvular heart disease between 1 January 1992 and 31 December 2004.

Operation type and perioperative characteristics; 5- and 10-year survival rates; reoperation rates; complications.

Forty-seven patients met the selection criteria; the median age was 40 years (range, 4-76 years); and 39 patients were Indigenous. RHD was the predominant cause of valve dysfunction (30/47 patients). Thirty-seven patients had valve replacements, six had valve repair and four had balloon valvotomy as the initial procedure. There were three bleeding complications, two episodes of operated valve endocarditis, and six embolic complications. There were nine valve-related deaths (six in the first 5 years). At 5 years, all seven patients who had had valve repair or balloon valvotomy were alive. Seven of the 47 patients required reoperation. Survival analysis showed freedom from valve-related deaths to be 83% (95% CI, 66%-92%) at 5 years and 61% (95% CI, 33%-80%) at 10 years. Freedom from reoperation at 5 years was 88% (95% CI, 71%-95%). Among the 30 patients with RHD, freedom from valve-related death was 80% (95% CI, 60%-92%) at 5 years and 52% (95% CI, 21%-75%) at 10 years. In patients with RHD, freedom from reoperation at 5 years was 87% (95% CI, 65%-96%).

Valvular heart disease results in substantial morbidity and mortality, despite intervention. Efforts need to focus on prevention of rheumatic fever and closer follow-up.