Composite stentless xenograft for aortic valve replacement: clinical evaluation of function

At The Prince Charles Hospital, 55 patients have received the composite porcine aortic xenograft (model 300, Cryolife-O'Brien valve; Cryolife International, Atlanta, GA; formerly the Bravo Cardiovascular Inc valve) for aortic valve replacement since December 1992. Associated procedures were required in 50% of patients (coronary artery bypass grafting in 25 patients). Hospital and "late" mortality have been 0%. Follow-up has been 100% complete. The median patient age was 74 years (range, 59 to 88 years). One permanent intraoperative cerebrovascular accident and two early thromboembolic events (both associated with acute atrial fibrillation) have constituted the only three morbid events. Serial echocardiography at 1 week, 6 months, and 1 year has shown a mean gradient of 9 mm Hg. A small number of patients have a "trivial" degree of valve incompetence. No progression of either gradient or incompetence is evident. The clinical state of 54 of these patients is most satisfactory. However, long-term surveillance is necessary to determine the 8- to 10-year durability of this stentless xenograft.