[Reoperations for valvular heart disease through repeated median sternotomy incision]

One thousand and three hundred patients underwent open heart surgery for acquired valvular diseases in our hospital from 1952 through December 1993. There were 105 reoperative cases through repeated median sternotomy incision and 52 cases of prosthetic valve replacement by the same operator in the last 5 years. We studied technical procedures by these reoperative experience. There was only one case (1.9%) of hospital death in replacement cases. We believe that repeated open heart surgery for acquired valvular diseases should be done prior to deterioration of patient's clinical condition. We had to pay attention to facilitate mobilization of right atrium and aortic root in the aortic and mitral valvular reoperations. To decrease operative mortality of prosthetic valve replacement, each operative techniques were necessary by the reasons for reoperation.