Blood traumatization after heart valve reconstruction or replacement was checked in 47 patients. Among the types of prostheses tested the Beall-valve caused the highest subclinical hemolysis, the Björk-Shiley-valve the lowest. In the aortic position the values for the Björk-valve were better than those for the Starr-valve. In cases with double valve replacement (Starr in aortic, Beall in mitral position) hemolysis was not much higher than in cases with single Beall mitral valve replacement. Clinical hemolytic anemia was only observed in 3 patients, 2 of them being affected with paravalvular leakage. In cases of paravalvular leakage parameters of hemolysis was very high and became normalized after successful repair in 2 patients.
