Rates of thromboembolism with three different mechanical heart valve prostheses: randomised study
Kuntze, C.E.; Ebels, T.; Eijgelaar, A.; Homan van der Heide, J.N.
Lancet 1(8637): 514-517
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0140-6736 PMID: 2564058 Document Number: 332889
In 434 operations for valvular heart disease, patients were randomized to receive Bjork-Shiley, Edwards-Duromedics, or Medtronic-Hall mechanical prostheses. At a median follow-up time of 37.5 months there were no differences in hazard of death or non-embolic events. In the first six postoperative months the incidence of thromboembolism was about the same for the three valves. Subsequently, however, the incidence of thromboembolism for the Edwards-Duromedics valve was 3.9 times higher than for the Bjork-Shiley valve, and for the Medtronic-Hall valve 2.6 times higher than for the Bjork-Shiley valve.