Linear correlation was demonstrated between serum digoxin and papillary muscle digoxin concentrations in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. The mean ratio of myocardial tissue to serum digoxin concentrations was 6711. This result supports the use of serum digoxin as a guide for assessing the degree of digitalization under steady-state conditions.

Twenty-four aortic coarctation patients with minimal collaterals were operated on. Left-side bypass was used in 18 cases, internal shunt in 4, while a jump graft ws inserted in 2 cases. These methods were applied when the distal aortic pressure fell below 50 mmHg systolic during test clamping. The coarctation was corrected with isthmusplasty in 12 cases, resection and end-to-end anastomosis in 5 cases, resection with prosthetic replacement in 5 cases and jump graft in 2 cases. The operative mortality was 2 patients (8.3%). One patient died of complications of a post-perfusion bleeding tendency; the other, who had concomitant aortic insufficiency, died of cerebral infarction and pneumonia. At follow-up examination, the blood pressure difference between the upper and lower extremities had disappeared in all cases. The blood pressure was still over 150 mmHg systolic in 9 patients, 8 of whom received anti-hypertensive medication. One patient died during the follow-up period, while waiting for an operation for aortic insufficiency.

A survey is presented on the results of 100 consecutive patients who underwent mitral valve (78 patients) or mitral and aortic and/or tricuspid valve replacement (22 patients) with ball or disc valve prosthesis. The patients were followed-up from 6 to 54 months postoperatively. The mortality for mitral valve replacement was 13 (17%) early deaths (up to one month from operation) and 5 (6%) late deaths. The corresponding figures for multiple valve replacements were 9 (41%) and 3 (14%). A direct correlation was found between early mortality and preoperative functional class IV of the New York Heart Association (30% dead). Pulmonary hypertension combined with multiple valve disease resulted in an early mortality of 42%. No significant differences in early mortality figures after MVR were found between ball and disc valve prostheses. Predominant complications were respiratory infection and atelectasis (13%), acute myocardial infarction (11%) and haemorrhage (9%). Haemolysis was found in 9 patients and three other patients had haemolytic anaemia attributable to paravalvular leak which in two indicated the reapplication of the prosthesis. The main causes of death were heart failure, 8 early and 4 late deaths, and myocardial infarction, 5 and 4 respectively.

During the 10-year period 1970-79, 88 patients underwent valve replacement for complications of bacterial endocarditis. The mean age of the patients was 42 (15-60) years. There were 64 men and 22 women. Thirty-three patients had a history of rheumatic fever. In 11 cases the murmur was heard already in childhood. In 44 cases (50%) no heart disease was diagnosed before the onset of symptoms of bacterial endocarditis. Strepto- and staphylococci were the most common organisms found in culture. In 12 cases a dental and in 12 a respiratory tract infection preceded the endocarditis. In 51 cases, however, the origin of the infection remained unestablished. Intractable heart failure and embolizations were most common indications for operation. Only 9 patients underwent operation in the acute phase. Aortic valve replacement (AVR) was performed in 58 cases, mitral valve replacement (MVR) in 19, both AVR and MVR in 6, AVR and aneurysm of sinus Valsalva repair in 3 cases, AVR and repair of VSD in one and AVR combined with myocardial revascularization and replacement of the ascending aorta for aneurysm in one case. The early mortality was 9 patients (10%) and late mortality 9 patients. During follow-up times of up to 10 years, 7 patients experienced embolic complications. They recovered uneventfully. One valve prosthesis was replaced because of thrombosis and another due to paraprosthetic leak. Two patients had a late recurrent bacterial endocarditis 5 and 8 years postoperatively. They were treated conservatively and recovered. It was concluded that after valve replacement for bacterial endocarditis, the risk of recurrent infection is relatively low and that results approaching those for elective valve replacement can be achieved.

The risk factors involved in simultaneous valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting were evaluated in 54 consecutive patients, 42 men and 12 women, aged 22 to 73 years. The predominant valve anomalies were aortic stenosis (30 patients), aortic regurgitation (9), mitral regurgitation (10) and mitral stenosis (5). All the patients had angina. Myocardial infarction had occurred in 22 cases and was impending at the time of operation in 10. The diseased valves were replaced with mechanical prostheses, and on average 2.5 coronary arteries per patient were bypassed with vein or with internal mammary artery grafts. Four of the 54 patients died in association with surgery, and four more during follow-up (0.5-6 years). The operative mortality was 2/39 in the aortic valve group and 2/14 in the mitral valve group. The late mortality was equal in both groups. A relatively small ejection fraction and long aortic cross-clamping were the only factors which attained statistical significance as surgical risks, but mitral regurgitation due to ischaemic papillary muscle dysfunction, advanced rheumatic mitral regurgitation and tight aortic stenosis combined with coronary artery disease also seemed to be indicators of poor prognosis.