Dura mater mitral and tricuspid bioprostheses: 30 years of follow-up.

Purpose: The dura mater bioprosthesis was developed in the Department of Cardiopneumology of the Hospital das Clínicas of the University of São Paulo Medical School in 1971. Here, we present the clinical results of the dura mater bioprosthesis over 30 years of follow-up.

Methods: We studied 70 consecutive patients who underwent mitral or tricuspid valve replacement with a dura mater bioprosthesis between January 1971 and August 1972.

Results: The early mortality was 10% (7 patients). The follow-up was 87% complete (9 patients were lost to follow-up). Two patients were alive and asymptomatic 30 years after valve replacement; 33 patients underwent reoperations due to valve dysfunction, and 19 died during the follow-up period. At 30 years, the actuarial survival was 49.2 +/- 8.6%; freedom from rupture, 27.0 +/- 10.2%; freedom from calcification, 78.8 +/- 8.6%; and freedom from reoperation, 18.8 +/- 7.5%.

Conclusions: The dura mater bioprosthesis played an important role in the treatment of patients with mitral and tricuspid valve disease. The low rate of thromboembolism and the long period of follow-up without evidence of valve dysfunction, which occurred for several of our patients, are important characteristics of these bioprosthesis.