Isolated mitral valve replacement with the Björk-Shiley tilting disc prosthesis

Between July 1970 and June 1977, 151 patients underwent isolated mitral valve replacement with the Björk-Shiley valve. The follow-up period extended over 8 years to June 1978. Hospital mortality was 5.2% (8/151), late mortality 8.4% (12/143). Actuarial survival analysis predicts 84 (+/- 4) % of patients to be alive at 5 years and 80 (+/- 6) % at 8 years. Thirteen patients sustained 15 episodes of thromboembolic complications; actuarially 88 (+/- 4) % of patients were free from this complication at 5 years and 81 (+/- 8) % at 8 years. Other valve-related complications included paravalvular leak (7), prosthetion showed an improvement of at least one class in 84% of patients.