In the department of chest surgery of Pusan National University hospital cardiac valve surgery was done in 118 cases from March, 1982, to June, 1986. Among these, 90 were mitral valve replacement, 9 mitral commissurotomy, 5 mitral valvuloplasty, 4 aortic valve replacement, 4 double valve replacement, 4 mitral annuloplasty, one mitral annuloplasty with commissurotomy and valvuloplasty. 48 were male and 70 were female and age distribution ranged from 6 to 57 years [mean 30.6 years]. Early death within 30 days after operation was 14 cases: 10 had mitral valve replacement, 2 double valve replacement and 2 mitral annuloplasty respectively. Confirmed causes of death were low cardiac output syndrome in 9 cases, congestive heart failure in one case, cardiac tamponade in one case, malfunction of valve in one case, cardiac rupture in one case and renal failure in one case. The 104 cases were followed up for a total 190 years and range was from 2 to 54 months [Mean*SD: 21.9*16.5 months]. During follow-up period, 2 late deaths were developed: one was due to subdural hematoma and the other was congestive heart failure combined with fulminant hepatitis. Anticoagulation therapy was done with warfarin to the level of 20 to 40% of normal prothrombin time in 53 cases, dipyridamole and aspirin in 18 cases, or ticlopidine hcl in 15 cases. The frequency of bleeding due to anticoagulation therapy was 1.0% episodes per patient-years: one was in warfarin group and another was in dipyridamole and aspirin group. Among the studied 102 cases, 93 cases [91.2%] of patients were in NYHA class I or II during follow up period.