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[Surgical treatment of mitral valve regurgitation: which method for which patient?].

The surgical treatment of mitral regurgitation has been completely revamped in the last years. The development of reproducible and durable plasty techniques has made mitral valve replacement less and less frequent. The virtual disappearance of rheumatic valve disease in developed countries has made degenerative disease the most frequent etiology of mitral insufficiency. Furthermore the outlook of this pathology has been modified by the early surgical treatment. The following article presents the surgical techniques available today and their indications in the different types of mitral insufficiency.

Heart Valve Diseases↗

Valvular heart disease--repair or replacement?

An estimated 3 million patients in India need treatment for valvular heart disease. Rheumatic heart disease continues to be the major aetiologic factor. The mitral valve is best conserved with valvotomy or repair. The aortic valve is difficult to repair and is best replaced by a biological substitute (autograft or homograft). The tricuspid valve can be repaired in all patients. Prosthetic valves offer good long term durability but introduce additional risks to the patients. Experience over the past three decades suggests that conservation of natural valve mechanism is currently the best option.

Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures↗

Early in vivo hemodynamic results after aortic valve replacement with the St Jude Medical Regent mechanical heart valve in patients with pure aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND: The St Jude Medical Regent is a new-generation mechanical heart valve that represents a design evolution of the St Jude Hemodynamic Plus Series (HP). The purpose of this study was to evaluate early "in vivo" hemodynamic performance of the Regent valve in patients with aortic stenosis. METHODS: Between March 2000 and December 2001, 32 patients (mean age 59.9 +/- 5.9,56.3% male) with pure aortic stenosis received a Regent mechanical prosthesis in the aortic position. Hemodynamic performance was assessed by Doppler echocardiography at discharge, two months, six months, and one year by calculating peak transprosthetic velocity (Vmax), mean (MG) and peak (PG) transprosthetic gradients, effective orifice area index (EOAI), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and degree of aortic regurgitation. RESULTS: A significant reduction in mean and peak transaortic gradients (p < 0.001) and a significant increase in EOAI (p < 0.001) over time followed valve replacement, and a bivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) failed to demonstrate statistical differences by valve size over time (p = ns). A significant reduction in left ventricular hypertrophy occurred over time (p < 0.001) in all valve sizes (p = ns between groups): baseline LVMI was 221 +/- 57 g/cm2; it decreased by 30 g/cm2 (p < 0.001) at discharge. LVMI decreased from 191 +/- 54 g/cm2 to 161 +/- 41 g/cm2 (p < 0.001) from discharge to two months. Further reductions were not significant. At the six-month follow-up no patient in our cohort exhibited moderate or severe aortic regurgitation at Doppler echocardiography. CONCLUSIONS: Early results with the St Jude Medical Regent valve have been satisfactory. Further assessments are necessary to confirm these results.

Aged↗

The "annular sandwich": a simple method of reinforcing a friable mitral valve annulus.

In 6 patients undergoing prosthetic mitral valve replacement a ring of Teflon felt, instead of conventional Teflon pledgets, was used because of concern about seating a new prosthesis in a disrupted friable mitral valve annulus. The technique avoided the potential risk of pledget loss in the event of suture breakage and, in these patients, prevented postoperative paraprosthetic mitral valve regurgitation.

Echocardiography, Transesophageal↗

Fracture-embolization of duromedics valve prosthesis and microscopic uncommon lesions.

We report a sudden leaflet fracture of a Duromedics mitral valve 6 years after implantation. The patient had cardiogenic shock and complained of asthenia, orthopnea, and tachycardia. Transesophageal echocardiography showed the lack of one leaflet of the prosthesis and regurgitation. An emergency mitral replacement was successfully performed. Angiographic computed tomography scan localized the sequestrum that embolized the common iliac arteries. Examination of the deficient prosthesis showed multiple lesions and, in particular, a subsurface lesion that may be characteristic of carbon pyrolytic valves.

Adult↗

ON-X bileaflet valve in aortic position--early experience shows an improved hemodynamic profile.

BACKGROUND: Despite considerable progress during the last decades, mechanical heart valves still have significant disadvantages in performance compared to native valves. To optimize the hemodynamic profile, a new mechanical bileaflet valve (ON-X) was developed and introduced in 1997. It was the aim of this study to assess the feasibility, safety, and the early postoperative hemodynamics with this new valve in vivo. METHODS: We analyzed 19 patients (11 male, 8 female; 63.2 +/- 8.2 years; aortic stenosis: n = 13; aortic incompetence: n = 2; combined aortic lesion: n = 2), undergoing aortic valve replacement with this prosthesis (valve size 19 mm: n = 1; 21 mm: n = 6; 23 mm: n = 8; 25 mm: n = 4; additional CABG: n = 4). In addition to intraoperative pressure gradient measurements, echocardiography was performed early postoperatively and after 3 months, evaluating pressure loss, effective orifice area, and regression of left-ventricular hypertrophy. RESULTS: No major perioperative complications were observed. The echocardiographic evaluation demonstrated a significantly increased effective orifice area and lower transvalvular gradients in all valve sizes compared with literature values for the St. Jude Medical prosthesis. Effective regression of left-ventricular hypertrophy (-23.6%) was observed over the first three months. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary data confirm the favorable hemodynamic characteristics of the ON-X valve as compared to standard bileaflet designs. Implantation was feasible and safe, and no major postoperative complications such as thrombembolic events were observed.

Aortic Valve↗

Serial Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of small-sized sorin bicarbon prostheses.

OBJECTIVE: The Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis (Sorin Biomedica, Saluggia, Italy) is a bileaflet valve with curved-profile leaflets, a rolling hinge mechanism, and a pyrolytic carbon-coated titanium alloy housing and sewing ring. Although the Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis has been implanted in greater than 80,000 patients, and reference values on the hemodynamic performance of valve prostheses are needed to avoid patient-prosthesis mismatch, few Doppler echocardiographic data are available on the prosthesis in the aortic position. The aim of this study is to provide a detailed echocardiographic evaluation of the hemodynamic performance and regression of left ventricular hypertrophy after aortic valve replacement with the Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis. METHODS: The study included 182 patients who received a 21-mm (n = 61) or 23-mm (n = 121) Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis for pure or prevalent aortic stenosis who underwent serial echocardiograms at 3, 6, and 12 months after aortic valve replacement. RESULTS: Mean and peak gradients significantly decreased (P <.001) during follow-up to values of 12 +/- 3 and 22 +/- 6 mm Hg for the 21-mm prosthesis and values of 11 +/- 4 and 19 +/- 6 mm Hg for the 23-mm prosthesis at 1 year. Left ventricular mass index showed a 17% decrease to 120 +/- 27 g/m(2) in recipients of the 21-mm prosthesis (P <.001) and a 21% decrease to 123 +/- 29 g/m(2) in recipients of the 23-mm prosthesis (P <.001). A larger prosthesis size was the only predictor of a higher left ventricular mass index regression. Among recipients of the 21-mm prosthesis, body surface area of greater than 1.85 m(2) was associated with a lower regression of left ventricular mass index. The effective orifice area index was 1.00 +/- 0.11 and 1.08 +/- 0.14 cm(2)/m(2) in recipients of the 21-mm and 23-mm prostheses, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Size 21 mm and 23 mm Sorin Bicarbon prostheses show low transprosthetic gradients, with significant reduction of left ventricular mass index during the first postoperative year. The reported effective orifice areas might be useful for aortic valve replacement in patients with a small aortic annulus to avoid patient-prosthesis mismatch.

Aged↗

In-vivo turbulent stresses of bileaflet prosthesis leakage jets.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Previous studies of leakage jet turbulence have been carried out in vitro, using a Newtonian fluid to simulate blood and large, rigid approximations to the chambers of the heart. The study aim was to apply an in-vivo method of quantifying leakage jet turbulence to a variety of bileaflet mechanical heart valves, and thereafter to determine the effects of exercise and valve design on turbulent shear stresses within leakage flow. METHODS: Bileaflet prostheses sewn to a manual traversing device were implanted in the mitral position of 29 pigs of body weight ca. 90 kg. Pulsed Doppler ultrasound was used to acquire velocity measurements within the leakage jets detected 1 mm upstream of the housing. Analytical techniques were used to estimate peak velocities and maximum turbulent shear stresses from these velocity measurements. RESULTS: Maximum turbulent shear stress was found to rise with increasing ventricular pressure. No leakage turbulence was found from a valve with relatively small leakage gap widths. The Medtronic Parallel valve was found to have considerable significant leakage flow disturbance, even under low ventricular pressure conditions. Similar maximum turbulent shear stress magnitudes were estimated in the leakage jets of the St. Jude Medical, CarboMedics and Sorin Bicarbon valves at medium ventricular pressure conditions. The maximum turbulent shear stresses estimated in these experiments were lower than those found in previous in-vitro measurements. CONCLUSION: Exercise raises the turbulent shear stresses of leakage flow substantially. Hinge design and leakage gap width also affect the magnitudes of these stresses. Leakage flow turbulence may be less damaging to the blood than was previously thought, and is considerably less damaging than forward-flow turbulence.

Animals↗

[Long-term follow-up of patients with small St. Jude aortic valve prostheses].

Thirty-five patients received small sized 19 or 21 mm valves (group I) and 53 patients received 23 or 25 mm valves (group II). At follow-up a significant reduction in the left ventricular mass was found for both patient groups (p < 0.0001). The patients in group I had higher peak pressure gradients than did those in group II. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups, or any significant correlation between peak pressure gradients and body surface area. Actuarial survival was 84.7% at 15 years for group I and 85.9% at 17 years for group II. Actuarial freedom from valve-related events was 91.4% at 15 years for group I and 82.7% at 17 years for group II. There was no significant difference in survival or valve-related event free curves between the two groups. After implantation of small SIM valves, significant left ventricular mass regression was obtained and the results were comparable to those for valves of other sizes. The long-term performance of aortic valve replacement with small valves was satisfactory as judged by improvement in the functional class of patients, survival statistics, the durability of the prosthesis, and valve related morbidity comparable to that of valves of other sizes.

Aged↗

Reoperation of the aortic valve in octogenarians.

BACKGROUND: Because of increasing life expectancy of patients with heart valve replacement and a limited durability of heart valve bioprostheses, cardiac reoperation becomes necessary in a significant percentage of patients. Reliable data on mortality and risk factors in octogenarians after replacement of aortic valve prostheses are scanty, however. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 71 patients aged 80 years and older who underwent cardiac reoperation of the aortic valve (69 bioprostheses, 2 mechanical prostheses) between 1991 and 2004 at our heart center. Survival rate of the study cohort was compared with a control group of octogenarians matched for age, sex, and year of aortic valve replacement. To assess predictors of 30-day survival and 3-year survival, we performed univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Survival rates at 30 days, 1 year, 3 years and 5 years were 83.6%, 76.1%, 70.8%, and 51.3%, respectively. Results did not differ significantly between the study cohort and the controls. Patients with reoperation had an estimated median survival of 5.6 years. Postoperative complications such as low cardiac output syndrome and intestinal failure were the only independent predictors of 30-day survival (p = 0.020 and p = 0.015, respectively). Low cardiac output, intestinal failure, and diabetes mellitus were independent predictors of 3-year survival (p = 0.001 to 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that it is possible to achieve an acceptable outcome in octogenarians who have reoperation of the aortic valve prosthesis. Early and mid-term survival is predominantly influenced by unexpected postoperative complications and not by preoperative risk factors, with the exception of diabetes mellitus.

Age Factors↗

Tricuspid valve replacement: bioprosthetic or mechanical valve?

Significant morbidity and mortality is associated with tricuspid valve replacement, and controversy still exists as to the ideal prosthesis in this position. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for low cardiac output and mortality, and whether bioprosthetic or mechanical valves perform better in the tricuspid position. Results of 121 tricuspid valve replacements in 104 patients between January 1966 and December 2002 were reviewed. Most patients were in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV. Perioperative mortality was 19%. On multivariate analysis, age and preoperative jaundice were significant predictors of low cardiac output; age, jaundice, atrial fibrillation, and bypass time were significant predictors of mortality. Mechanical valves were significantly more prone to thromboembolism, whereas bioprostheses suffered structural valve deterioration. There were no significant differences in anticoagulation or bleeding episodes between the two groups, nor in valve-related events, deaths, and long term survival. There was no significant difference in performance so as to recommend one type over the other, but bioprosthetic valves may be more favorable as they fail predictably.

Adolescent↗

Results of aortic valve replacement with a new supra-annular pericardial stented bioprosthesis.

BACKGROUND: The stented Soprano valve (Sorin Biomedica S.pA., Saluggia, Italy) is a pericardial tissue valve designed for a totally supra-annular implant with the aim of improving hemodynamic performance, particularly in patients with a reduced aortic annulus. However, its hemodynamics and early clinical outcome are poorly understood. METHODS: Seventy-seven patients (mean age 76 +/- 5 years, 56% males) underwent aortic valve replacement with the Soprano valve. All patients were monitored with clinical examination and serial echocardiography at 1, 6, and 12 months and yearly afterward. RESULTS: At preoperative echocardiography, average left ventricular outflow tract diameter was 2.1 +/- 0.2 cm. At operation, 35% of patients received a 20-mm valve, 54% a 22-mm valve, and 11% a 24-mm valve. At 6-month follow-up, peak and mean transprosthetic gradients were 18 +/- 8 and 9 +/- 4 mm Hg, respectively; effective orifice area (EOA) and EOA index were 1.84 +/- 0.6 cm2 and 0.9 +/- 0.2 cm2/m2, respectively. Incidence of patient-prosthesis mismatch (ie, EOA index < 0.85 cm2/m2) was 23%, with no case of severe mismatch (ie, EOA index < 0.6 cm2/m2). In addition, left ventricular hypertrophy showed a significant regression (mass index from 214 +/- 98 g to 129 +/- 41 g; p = 0.001), and ejection fraction increased (from 58% +/- 17% to 67% +/- 8%; p = 0.001). Cumulative follow-up was 7.9 months per patient. Thirty-day mortality rate was 2.6% (2 of 77). Cumulative survival at 6, 12, and 24 months was 92% +/- 3.7%, 85% +/- 5.7%, and 85% +/- 5.7%, respectively. Two patients experienced embolic episodes. One case of anticoagulant-related bleeding occurred. CONCLUSIONS: In our series, the Soprano bioprosthesis showed a good hemodynamic performance, low incidence of patient-prosthesis mismatch, and favorable early clinical results.

Aged↗

Biological vs. mechanical aortic root replacement.

OBJECTIVES: Although age and co-existing coronary disease are major determining factors when deciding valve choice (mechanical vs. biological) in simple aortic valve replacement, no studies have documented selection criterion for biological (BIO) vs. mechanical (MECH) aortic root prosthesis. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-one consecutive patients underwent elective aortic root replacement with either BIO (homograft, n=111, Freestyle, n=25) or MECH composite grafts (n=85). Median age in BIO was 53 years and in MECH 54 years (P=NS). Groups were similar in gender, NYHA class and ejection fraction (BIO, EF=59% vs. MECH, EF=55%), but the need for concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) did differ between groups (MECH=35% vs. BIO=17%, P=0.003). Mean follow-up was 42+/-28 months for mortality and 39+/-28 months for morbidity. RESULTS: Full root replacement was performed in 213 patients (96%) and hemi-root in eight (4%). The most common underlying etiologies were annulo-aortic ectasia (n=82, 37%), calcified-degenerative (n=73, 33%) and bicuspid/congenital aortic valve disease (n=39, 18%). Operative mortality was 1.5% for BIO and 2.4% for MECH (P=0.5). By univariate analysis there was a trend towards greater 5-year survival in BIO (92.4% vs. 88.2%, P=0.068). By multivariate analysis, increasing age (HR=2.4, P=0.003), previous valve replacement (HR=4.7, P=0.024), concomitant CABG (HR=3.7, P=0.032), and perioperative stroke (HR=9.9, P=0.0005) were all independent predictors of late death. The 5-year freedom from valve-related complications was similar in both groups (BIO=93% vs. MECH=86%, P=0.5). CONCLUSIONS: Elective aortic root replacement is an exceedingly safe operation. At mean follow-up of 4 years, there is no meaningful difference in early or mid term valve-related results between BIO and MECH aortic root replacement. Continued evaluation for late valve-related complications in this cohort will be necessary to determine the advantages, if any, of one prosthesis over the other.

Adult↗

Hemolysis parameters of St. Jude Medical: Hemodynamic Plus and Regent valves in aortic position.

BACKGROUND: Elevated plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentration may reflect hemolysis due to mechanical heart valve dysfunction. Thus, knowledge of LDH levels in patients with properly working prostheses is required. Because hemolysis parameters for the SJM Hemodynamic Plus (HP) and Regent series are currently not available, the purpose of our study was to determine these data. METHODS: At 12-19 months follow-up after isolated aortic valve replacement with SJM HP(R) or Regent prostheses, we examined 102 patients by transthoracic echocardiography and determined plasma LDH, haptoglobin, bilirubin and hemoglobin. RESULTS: Five patients with properly working prostheses were excluded because of increased LDH due to non-cardiac reasons. In four patients with paravalvular leakage, LDH was 244, 307, 446 and 628 U/l, respectively. In patients with properly working prostheses, LDH was 287+/-52 (range: 163-374) U/l for HP(R) (n=33) and 274+/-48 (151-386) U/l for Regent valves (n=60, p=0.2). Haptoglobin was <1g/l in all patients; in 91% of HP and 75% of Regent valves, haptoglobin was below detection limit. Bilirubin and hemoglobin as well as red blood cell count (RBC) were normal in all patients except for five patients with renal anemia, two patients with paravalvular leakage and four patients with macrocytosis due to alcohol abuse. There was no correlation between LDH and transvalvular gradient (r=-0.02) or valve size (r=0.25). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with SJM HP(R) or Regent valves in aortic position, LDH values > 400 U/l indicate valvular dysfunction or leakage if non-cardiac causes for hemolysis are excluded. However, paravalvular leakage can be present without substantially increased LDH. Haptoglobin has no diagnostic value as it is almost always markedly reduced. Hemolysis does not correlate with transvalvular gradient or prosthesis size.

Adult↗

Acquired von Willebrand syndrome in aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Aortic-valve stenosis can be complicated by bleeding that is associated with acquired type 2A von Willebrand syndrome. However, the prevalence and cause of the hemostatic abnormality in aortic stenosis are unknown. METHODS: We enrolled 50 consecutive patients with aortic stenosis, who completed a standardized screening questionnaire to detect a history of bleeding. Forty-two patients with severe aortic stenosis underwent valve replacement. Platelet function under conditions of high shear stress, von Willebrand factor collagen-binding activity and antigen levels, and the multimeric structure of von Willebrand factor were assessed at base line and one day, seven days, and six months postoperatively. RESULTS: Skin or mucosal bleeding occurred in 21 percent of the patients with severe aortic stenosis. Platelet-function abnormalities under conditions of high shear stress, decreased von Willebrand factor collagen-binding activity and the loss of the largest multimers, or a combination of these was present in 67 to 92 percent of patients with severe aortic stenosis and correlated significantly with the severity of valve stenosis. Primary hemostatic abnormalities were completely corrected on the first day after surgery but tended to recur at six months, especially when there was a mismatch between patient and prosthesis (with an effective orifice area of less than 0.8 cm2 per square meter of body-surface area). CONCLUSIONS: Type 2A von Willebrand syndrome is common in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Von Willebrand factor abnormalities are directly related to the severity of aortic stenosis and are improved by valve replacement in the absence of mismatch between patient and prosthesis.

Aged↗

Early and long-term outcome of aortic valve replacement with homograft versus mechanical prosthesis--8-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Aortic valve disease is an important and frequent clinical problem with a mortality rate as high as 50-80% in a 5-year natural history of patients with severe aortic valve disease. Biological or mechanical prosthesis implantation is the only way to improve prognosis. HYPOTHESIS: The aim of our study was to assess the clinical outcome of aortic valve replacement according to the underlying valve pathology and the type of replacement device, that is, aortic homografts versus mechanical prostheses. METHODS: The study group consisted of 143 patients with a mean follow-up period of 4.1 +/- 2.7 years. All patients had annual clinical and Doppler echocardiographic evaluation. RESULTS: Total 8-year mortality was 4.9% (7/143) including early mortality of 1.4%. Eight-year survival probability was not significantly higher in the homograft than in the mechanical prosthesis recipients. No differences were found among subgroups with aortic stenosis, insufficiency, and combined disease. Overall early and late complication rate (13.3 and 24.8%, respectively) was similar in homograft and mechanical valve recipients. The most common late complications were ventricular arrhythmia (10%) (Lown class I-III), predominantly in the homograft recipients (17.7 vs. 3.7%), and heart failure (9.2%), more frequent in mechanical valve recipients (14.8 vs. 1.6%). Thromboembolic events occurred in 6.3%, infective endocarditis in 4.2% (more common in mechanical valve recipients), serious bleeding in 3.7% (only in mechanical valve recipients). There was no significant difference in early and late complication rate among subgroups (aortic stenosis, insufficiency, and combined disease). Of the patients studied, 91.6% improved in functional status after surgery, with significantly better outcome in homograft recipients. The type of preexisting valve disease did not influence clinical improvement. CONCLUSION: Early and late mortality as well as estimated probability of survival and hemodynamic improvement at 8-year follow-up after aortic valve replacement are independent of the type of implanted valve. Complication rate does not depend upon the type of preexisting valve pathology, but severe late complications are more common after mechanical valve implantation than after homograft implantation.

Adult↗

Ten-year outcome after aortic valve replacement with the freestyle stentless bioprosthesis.

BACKGROUND: Stentless aortic bioprostheses offer excellent hemodynamics and potentially improved durability compared with other bioprostheses. The present report describes the clinical and hemodynamic outcomes for the Freestyle aortic root bioprosthesis in a large, multicenter cohort prospectively followed up for 10 years. METHODS: A total of 725 patients at 8 centers in North America (668 [92%] aged more than 60 years) were followed up prospectively after aortic valve replacement with the Freestyle stentless bioprosthesis. Implant technique was subcoronary in 509, total root in 178, and root inclusion in 38. Follow-up was 4,488 patient-years (mean 6.2 years/patient). RESULTS: For subcoronary, full root, and root inclusion groups, 10-year actuarial freedom from structural valve deterioration was 97.0% +/- 2.2%, 96.0% +/- 4.5%, and 90.9% +/- 11.2%, respectively; and actuarial freedom from reoperation was 91.7% +/- 3.5%, 92.3% +/- 6.0%, and 92.0% +/- 10.7%, respectively. Mean pressure gradient at 10 years was 8.9 +/- 7.9 mm Hg for subcoronary, 7.0 +/- 4.1 mm Hg for full root, and 10.0 +/- 11.1 mm Hg for root inclusion groups; effective orifice area was 1.6 +/- 0.5 cm2, 1.6 +/- 0.6 cm2, and 1.7 +/- 0.5 cm2, respectively. Fredom from moderate or more aortic regurgitation at 10 years was good for all three implant groups, but slightly higher for full root (97.7% +/- 1.6%) compared with subcoronary (87.2% +/- 2.8%) patients (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The Freestyle stentless aortic root bioprosthesis is a versatile option for aortic valve replacement. Measures of clinical outcomes and prosthesis durability remain excellent through 10 years.

Adult↗

[Nicks operation for aortic valve dysfunction with pannus formation; report of a case].

A 58-year-old female who underwent an aortic valve replacement 3 years ago was admitted to our hospital. She developed dyspnea in a month. Urgent reoperation was scheduled because an echocardiography demonstrated severe aortic valve regurgitation, and because a cinefluoroscopy showed that a leaflet of the prosthetic valve was restricted. Pannus formation from left ventricular outflow tract caused prosthetic valve insufficiency. An ATS 18 aortic prosthesis was replaced after removing old sewing cuff and surrounding tissue of the aortic annulus as much as possible. However, the coronary orifices were partially covered with the prosthesis. The leaflet rubbed onto the left ventricular outflow muscle specially in opening position. Therefore, an annular enlargement was required. In case of re-replacement of prosthetic valve for small aortic annulus, the annulus was at most same size or smaller than it of the previous operation. It was harmful for the patient whose body surface area was 1.74 m2 to utilize smaller prosthesis because of patient-prosthesis mismatch. We conclude that annular enlargement is useful for reoperarion of small aortic annulus associate with left ventricular outflow hypertrophy.

Aortic Valve↗