Neal D Hillman, Lloyd Y Tani, L George Veasy, Linda L Lambert, Gregory B Di Russo, Donald B Doty, Edwin C McGough, John A Hawkins
BACKGROUND: The incidence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) has increased recently in the western United States. We reviewed our 18-year surgical experience with RHD in children to examine current surgical techniques and results. METHODS: From 1985 until 2003, 596 children (<21 years) with rheumatic fever were seen at Primary Children's Medical Center. Rheumatic carditis was diagnosed in 366 patients (61.4%). Twenty-six with carditis (26/366, 7.1%) required operation for rheumatic valve disease including 8 for mitral regurgitation, 7 for mitral and aortic regurgitation, 4 for aortic regurgitation, 4 for mitral regurgitation and stenosis, 2 for combined mitral stenosis and regurgitation with aortic insufficiency, and 1 for mitral and tricuspid regurgitation...
October 2004: Annals of Thoracic Surgery