From January 1986 to June 1993, 12 patients Aad required reoperation: 9 had undergone mitral and 3 aortic valve replacement. Five were male and 7 female, and ages ranged from 29 to 61 years. Replacement of the prosthetic heart valve was performed at a mean interval of 98 $pm$ 1 months after the Hrst operation. In aortic valve replacement patients the mean interval was 115 $pm$ 2 months and in mitral valve replacement patients 98 $pm$ 4 months. Primary tissue failure was the most frequent reason of replacement (10 patients) followed by valve thrombosis (1 patient) and prophylactic replacement (1 patient) in order. The most pronounced pathology of the failed prosthetic heart valves seen in the primary tissue failure group was calcification, perforation, shrinkage and tearing of the cusps. There was one early operative death (8.3%) due to intractable low cardiac output and acute renal failure. Eleven early survivors had successful operative results and there was no late death.