The CarboMedics valve prosthesis is a relatively new. low profile bileaflet prosthesis. During a 6 year period from Aug. 1988 to July 1994. 158 patients had CarboMedics prostheses implanted in the mitral [n=94], aortic [n=25], or aortic and mitral [n=39] in National Medical Center. Hospital mortality was 9.4% and the main cause of death was low output syndrome. Follow up was 96% complete, with 365.4 patient-years and a mean follow up of 30 months [ range 1 to 72 months ] . The overall actuarial 6 year survival rate was 91.61 3.47% and actuarial 6year freedom from all valve related complications was 73.9 7.67%. The linearized incidence of vavle related complications was as follows: thromboembolism 1.37%/patient-year ; valve thrombosis 0.82%/ patient-year ; anticoagulant related hemorrhage 0.85%/patient-year ; perivalvular leakage 0.55%/paitent-year: prosthetic valve endocarditis 0.82%/patient-year ; reoperation 1.37%/patient-year. There were no instances of structural failure. We conclude that the Carbomedics valve has a low rate of complications that further improves the quality of life in patients with heart valve prostheses.