Current status of cardiovascular surgery in Japan, 2013 and 2014: A report based on the Japan Cardiovascular Surgery Database. 4. Valvular heart surgery

Data from the Japan cardiovascular surgery database from 2013 to 2014 were analyzed to demonstrate the mortality rate and choice of surgical procedures, especially concerning the selection of valve prosthesis for each valve position and patient age group, and the effects of preoperative complications on mortality and prosthetic valve selection. The proportion of each surgical procedure was compared for each patient age in the aortic, mitral, and tricuspid positions. The proportion of mechanical valve prostheses was 23.1, 40.5, and 11.4% in the aortic, mitral, and tricuspid positions, respectively, and was higher in hemodialysis than in non-hemodialysis patients. The operative mortality rate was 4.3, 11.7, 15.8, and 5.6% in all cases, hemodialysis patients, patients with liver dysfunction, and patients with atrial fibrillation and flutter, respectively, after Aaortic valve replacement, and 4.0, 14.4, 11.2, and 4.1%, respectively, in each group listed above after mitral valve surgery. These results clarify the current status of cardiac valvular surgery in Japan.