Chronic hemolysis following fascia lata and Starr-Edwards aortic valve replacement.

Sixty-two patients were investigated for chronic intravascular hemolysis from 3 months to 6iS years following aortic valve replacement; 27 patients had Starr-Edwards prostheses and 35 fascia lata grafts. The findings are suggestive of a significantly higher incidence and degree of hemolysis in patients with Starr-Edwards prostheses compared to those with fascia lata grafts. In both groups regurgitation was an important factor in producing hemolysis. In the absence of regurgitation fascia lata grafts do not produce significant hemolysis, while Starr-Edwards valves traumatize the red cells even in the absence of regurgitation. StarrEdwards valves of small size are associated with hemolysis more often than larger ones