Functional rehabilitation after cardiac valve surgery

Cloth tears in asymptomatic survivors of aortic valve replacement with Starr-Edwards prostheses: detection by transesophageal echocardiography

Cloth-covered Starr-Edwards valves were withdrawn in the 1970s because of complications of cloth tear. Nevertheless, many patients are still alive with their prosthesis in place. We evaluated the ability of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to detect cloth tear in 9 asymptomatic patients operated on with a cloth-covered Starr-Edwards aortic valve at our institution. An echogenic mobile structure attached to the prosthesis, suggestive of a tear, was detected in 5 patients (55%). A tear was diagnosed in a sixth patient when TEE was repeated during follow-up because of neurologic symptoms. In all cases, transthoracic echocardiography failed to detect any abnormality. Two patients had symptoms develop and underwent reoperation; cloth tear was more extensive than suspected by TEE. Cloth tear is a frequent finding that can be detected by TEE in asymptomatic patients with cloth-covered Starr-Edwards aortic prosthesis. TEE is recommended in these patients and reoperation should be considered as soon as symptoms appear.

Factors related to the early phase of rehabilitation following aortocoronary bypass surgery

Physical and psychosocial functioning of 30 male patients prior to and 3 months following aortocoronary bypass surgery were compared. Relationships between rehabilitation outcome and selected physical, psychosocial, and health care system variables were examined. Although patients' perceptions of their health improved after surgery, there was little improvement in physical and psychosocial functioning, and vocational functioning declined. When the outcome variables were regressed on their possible explanatory variables, the variance in exercise tolerance and energy expenditure on household activities remained unexplained. Energy expenditure on postoperative leisure activities was related to fear of injury. Preoperative psychosocial functioning, depression, and postoperative perception of health explained postoperative psychosocial functioning. Postoperative perception of health dependent on the number of bypass grafts and spouse's/family's fear of patients' injury.

Aortic valve replacement. A randomized study comparing the Björk-Shiley and Lillehei-Kaster disc valves. Long-term results

Three hundred patients were selected at random in order to compare the Björk-Shiley (B-S) and Lillehei-Kaster (L-K) valves in the aortic position. The mean follow-up time was 4 3/4 years (range 3 1/4-7 years). There were 15 late deaths in the B-S group and 23 in the L-K group. The incidence of sudden and unexpected deaths was much higher in the L-K than in the B-S group (10:1). The 7-year actuarial survival rate was 82% in the B-S and 76% in the L-K group. In both groups the survival rate was higher in patients with large valves than in those with small valves; in the L-K group this difference was significant (p less than 0.02). The overall thrombo-embolic rate was 3.2 per 100 patient years in the B-S and 2.8 in the L-K group. Valve thrombosis occurred in 3 patients with B-S valves and in 4 with L-K vales. One of the L-K valves was thrombosed early after operation due to faulty suture technique. Of the long-term survivors of working age 80% in the B-S and 70% in the L-K group returned to work. There was a close correlation between functional capacity (NYHA) and the employment rate.

Rehabilitation after aortic valve replacement with autologous fascia lata: a sociomedical study

In a series of 50 patients who underwent aortic valve replacement with frame-supported fascia lata, 32 were seen for a combined medical and psychosocial examination 10 to 33 months postoperatively. The investigation included a psychometric test battery and an interview concerning the patient's social and psychological situation at the time of the operation and at follow-up. Twenty-seven patients had improved in their New York Heart Association Functional Classification at the time of follow-up. In most instances NYHA classification correlated well with the patients' subjective opinion on their recovery. Those who for various reasons were not able to return to work did not consider themselves recovered. The employment rate after operation was 66%. There is a great need for more information and support to families as well as for more intensive rehabilitation efforts, especially vocational, for the postoperative patient.