Prognosis

In general, patients do well after pulmonary valve replacement.[6][20]​​[22]​​ Early mortality for isolated pulmonary valve replacement is 1% in children, and freedom from reoperation for bioprosthetic valve deterioration is approximately 90% at 10 years.[26] Patients with mechanical pulmonary valve should be monitored for bleeding complications with warfarin.

Prognosis in patients with severe pulmonary regurgitation who do not undergo surgery (although they may be candidates) depends on a number of factors that include the primary disease causing pulmonary regurgitation, involvement of other valves, associated coronary artery disease, and right ventricular dilation and dysfunction. In patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot and chronic pulmonary regurgitation, right ventricular dilation has been shown to correlate with an increased incidence of sudden death.[19]

There are no large trials of prosthetic valves in patients with isolated pulmonary regurgitation to provide evidence for the prognosis in untreated patients.

Patients may be at an excess risk of acquired cardiovascular disease and associated cardiovascular mortality compared to the general population, due to factors including abnormal anatomy, reperfusion injuries following surgical intervention, hypertension, ventricular hypertrophy, and associated genetic syndromes.[27]

Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer