[Heart valve prosthesis in mitral valve defects of patients with chronic circulatory insufficiency].

The data of long-term follow-up of 67 patients subjected to mitral valve replacement for severe heart diseases support the rationale of surgical management of chronic circulatory insufficiency in mitral disease. A prosthetic replacement of the mitral valve helps to return the majority of operated on patients to active live patterns. Improvements of the patients' state within 5 years after surgery was recorded in 58 cases, 9 patients died within 2 to 34 months. Actuarial statistics showed that the 5-year survival rate comprised 75.9% following prosthetic mitral valve replacement.