[Re-operations on mitral valve prostheses. Apropos of 40 cases]

The present study deals with a series of 40 reoperations in a group of 1279 patients undergoing mitral valve replacement. All reoperations were late following the immediate post-operative period, the earliest being 5 months after the primary operation. The factors which were analyzed are: causes of reoperation, the most frequent being paravalvular leaks and valve thrombosis, diagnostic methods, surgical techniques and results following reoperation.