SURGICAL TREATMENT OF VALVULAR HEART DISEASE IN CHILDREN / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

The experiences of surgical treatment of valvular heart diseases in children were reported. Cardiac valve operations were performed in 87 children including 58 males and 29 females between the age of 4 to 14 years ( mean 10 2 years) . Of the 87 patients, 36 underwent mitral valve replacement, 13 aortic valves replacement, 6 mitral and aortic valves replacement, 13 aortic valvuloplasty, and 29 mitral valvuloplasty. Associated cardiac lesions were simultaneously managed. Postoperative complications included low cardiac output syndromes in 7 patients, respiratory failure in 3, and arrhythmia in 5 patients. The operative mortality was 4 60% (4 patients). Follow up was 0 5 to 14 5 years (mean 6 51 years). Late mortality was 3 61% (3 patients). The valvuloplasty operations were first choice for cardiac valve operations in children. It was advisable to use cardiac valve prosthesis of larger size(adult) for valve replacement in children.Anticoagulation with Warfarin was routinely used and the treatment of rheumatic fever should be emphasized postoperatively.