[Surgical risk in patients with heart valve disease in non-cardiac surgery]

Our purpose was to retrospectively evaluate major risk of non cardiac surgery in patients with valvular heart disease. We studied retrospectively 136 patients, 44 affected by aortic, 81 by mitral and 11 by mitroaortic valve disease. NYHA class was I-II in 130 and III in 6 patients. Sixty four patients underwent orthopedic surgery, 57 patients occulistic surgery and 5 patients urological surgery. There were no hospital deaths. Fifteen patients developed major perioperative complication: 7 serious ventricular arrhythmias, 6 hypotension, 2 "hypertensive attacks". We conclude that non cardiac surgery is safe in patients with valvular heart disease.