Results of reoperation for tissue valve failure were presented with review of current knowledge. Through January 1986, 19 patients required reoperation: 18 had undergone mitral, 2 aortic, and 1 tricuspid valve. Primary tissue failure was the main cause of tissue valve failure: it occurred in 18 valves [15 mitral, 2 aortic, and 1 tricuspid] at a mean postoperative interval of 54-25 months [range 29-120]. During the same period, 2 patients required reoperation for prosthetic valve endocarditis, 1 for paravalvular leakage. The types of valves failed were 12 lonescu-Shiley valves, 5 Hancock valves, and 1 Carpentier-Edwards valve. All 6 patients younger than 15 years of age at first operation had been implanted with lonescu-Shiley valves and failed after a mean interval of 35 months. In contrast, 11 patients older than 15 years had been implanted with 5 Hancock, 6 lonescu-Shiley, and 1 Carpentier-Edwards valve initially, and eventually failed after mean intervals of 81, 53, 47 months each other. The kinds of valves used at reoperation were 8 lonescu-Shiley, 4 Bjork-Shiley, and 6 St. Jude Medical valves for primary tissue failure cases and 3 lonescu-Shiley valves for the other 3 cases. Overall mortality at reoperation was 10%: 5.6% for primary tissue failure, 50% for prosthetic valve endocarditis. In 15 cases [all mitral] primary tissue failure were caused by calcification associated with or without leaflet destruction or fibrous ingrowth, and in 2 cases [all aortic] caused by cusp perforation and tearing without any evidence of calcification. In conclusion: 1 primary tissue failure is the main cause of reoperation in patients with tissue valve failure; 2. the majority of the failed valves is in mitral position; 3. leaflet calcification is the leading pathology of primary tissue failure; 4, reoperation for tissue valve failure may be a major concern, although the mortality is low; 5. the limited durability of tissue valve suggests its use be restricted to selected cases.