[Aortic valve replacement at the cardiac insufficiency stage].

80 adult patients with isolated aortic valvulopathy and cardiac insufficiency have been investigated. Among 10 non operated patients, there has been 9 deaths during a three years follow-up. Among 70 operated patients early mortality is not higher than among patients without cardiac failure, but late mortality is significantly higher (27, 1 p. 100), bacterial endocarditis and sudden deaths being particularly frequent. Subjective improvement is constant among survivors but cardiomegaly and left ventricular hypertrophy do not change much. The authors think aortic valve replacement is beneficial even in patients with cardiac failure.