Reemployment related to functional and haemodynamic changes after aortic or mitral valve replacement

The objectives of this longitudinal study were to determine the proportion of individuals who return to work following aortic or mitral valve replacement, and to compare the functional and haemodynamic status in those who return to work with those who do not return to work. The study includes a total of 133 subjects who were all examined 12--24 months after the operation. Based on this investigation, an overall reemployment rate of 44 % was found. Return to work was more frequent in the younger group than in the older group. Furthermore, while the patient's opinion of the extent of his physical handicap was of some importance when return to work was discussed, there did not appear to be any significant relationship between the working or the non-working group and objective indices of improvement as decrease in heart volume, regression of left ventricular hyperthrophy in the electrocardiogram, increase in cardiac output and decrease in pulmonary wedge pressure. Most important was the observation that the rate of return to work was closely related to the employment status before operations. The conclusion reached was that individuals who return to work were more likely to be those who were employed up to the time of the operation, while return to work after a long period of unemployment before operation was unusual, irrespective of the surgical results.