[Comparative hemodynamic characteristics of Soviet-made mechanical heart valve prostheses in the mitral position]

The article deals with hemodynamic evaluation of Soviet-made, and heart valve prostheses in late-term periods after operation for mitral valve replacement. Fourty-six patients were examined: a ball prosthesis was implanted in 21 patients (1st group), as disk prosthesis--in 15 patients (2nd group) and a prosthesis--in 10 patients (3rd group). A good clinical result of the operation was achieved in all patients, they were referred to functional class I and II. Catheterization of the left and right parts of the heart, left ventriculography, and test with dosed physical exertion were carried out. Loading was continued till cardiac output increased approximately by 60 per cent in 6 patients of the 1st group, 12 patients of the second group, and in all 10 patients of the 3rd group. The study showed that the prostheses do not yield to foreign models of heart valves in hemodynamic characteristics and cause a lower stenosing effect than the prostheses do. No essential differences were detected between the prostheses.