During 1986-1996, for a ten year period, 1231 patients had isolated mitral valve replacement with St. Jude medical mechanical heart valve prosthesis in Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic of Türkiye Yüksek İhtisas Hospital. The mean age of the patients were 40±13.67 (Range: 9-76). Hospital (early-operative) mortality was 4.7% (58 patients). A standart-fix dose oral anticoagulant therapy was given to all patients, reagrdless of prothrombine time (PT). The mean PT was 14.14±1.97 seconds, the mean INR level wes 1.4±0.44. The mean follow up period was 2.61±2.25 patient-year (py) (2-126.83 months). Ninety percent of patients were followed up. In the follow-up period, there were 48 thromboembolic events, and estimate of freedom from thrombsoembolic events, at 10 years was 90.03±1.88%. There were 36 oral anticoagulant related hemorrhage, and estimate of freedom from oral anticoagulant related hemorrhage, at 10 years was 93.24±1.50%. There were 4 paravalvular leak, and estimate of freedom from paravalvular leak, at 10 years was 99.42±0.32%. A total of 31 patients were reoperated and estimates of freedom from reoperation, at 10 years was 92.95±1.72%. In the follow-up period there were 33 deaths, and the linearised late mortality rate was 1.08% py. Estimate of actuarial survival at 10 years was 94.44±1.34%. According to Cox statistical analysis, previous operations were statistically significant operative mortality risk factors for mitral valve replacement (p<0.05).

In conclusion, isolated mitral valve replacement with St. Jude medical mechanical valve prosthesis has satisfactory long-term results, even though a standart-fixed dose oral anticoagulant regimen was used.