The homograft aortic valve: a 29-year, 99.3% follow up of 1,022 valve replacements.

The study aim was to elucidate the advantages and limitations of the homograft aortic valve for aortic valve replacement over a 29-year period.Between December 1969 and December 1998, 1,022 patients (males 65%; median age 49 years; range: 1-80 years) received either a subcoronary (n = 635), an intraluminal cylinder (n = 35), or a full root replacement (n = 352). There was a unique result of a 99.3% complete follow up at the end of this 29-year...