CarboMedics bileaflet valves (CM) were implanted in 50 patients;25 aortic valve replacements (AVR), 23 mitral valve replacements (MVR), and 2 double valve replacements (DVR). Between 1982 and 1994, we implanted St. Jude Medical valves (SJM) in 128 patients (AVR:65, MVR:55, DVR:8). The mean follow -up time was 31 months for CM and 53 months for SJM . The early mortality rate was 6.0% (CM) and 4.7% (SJM). The 1-year actuarial survival rate was 87.8% (CM) and 93.7% (SJM), and that for 3 years was

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... 5.6% (CM) and 92.4% (SJM). There were no significant differences in overall survival rates and event -free survival rates between two groups . During the follow-up period, no valve-related death was found in CM group. These results encourage an increasing utilization of the CarboMedics prosthesis.