Early Results of Use of Homografts for Replacement of the Aortic Valve in Man

Abstract
The first 50 cases at the Mayo Clinic of insertion of an aortic valvular homograft after excision of the aortic valve are reported. The hospital mortality rate was 6%. An aortic diastolic murmur was noted in 17% of the surviving patients just prior to their dismissal from the hospital. In none was there evidence of hemodynamically significant aortic valvular incompetence. At follow-up examination 3 to 12 months postoperatively, an aortic diastolic murmur was audible in 44% of the traced patients. Only one patient had hemodynamically significant aortic valvular incompetence. The patients were not given anticoagulant therapy, and there were no thromboembolic complications.