A new bioprosthesis for aortic and mitral valve replacement: preliminary evaluation of the Tascon valve

The Tascon valve, a new porcine bioprosthesis, features a detachable sewing ring designed to facilitate insertion and removal. Between April 1984 and June 1986, we implanted the Tascon valve in 25 patients, 12 of whom underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR), and 13 of whom had mitral valve replacement (MVR). Most of the patients were in NYHA class III or IV. Four MVR patients had had previous mitral valve operations, and three AVR patients required composite graft valved conduits. The valve's screw-locking mechanism worked well in all cases, especially in the AVR cases. There were no hospital deaths, and no significant morbidity or valve-related complications were encountered. One late death occurred 3 months after surgery, owing to causes unrelated to the valve. At the end of the study period, most of the survivors had improved by at least two NYHA functional classes. Postoperative aortic and mitral valve gradients and mitral valve areas, as measured by Doppler methods, were excellent. No significant regurgitation was detected. These favorable results indicate that the Tascon valve is a safe, useful bioprosthesis, with satisfactory hemodynamic characteristics.