[Implantation of artificial heart valve prostheses in the mitral position using continuous sutures--our initial...

Heart valve replacement using continuous suture is the method of choice in many cardiosurgical centers. Our experience with this method is presented in this report on our first nine patients. In seven of them the Björk-Shiley and in two the Sorin type of prosthesis was applied without occurrence of paravalvular leak. Suture in continuous fashion can be performed under the following conditions: moderate thickening of the annulus fibrosus, absence of calcifications, and acute bacterial endocarditis. (Ref. 7).