Impact of intraoperative post-pump aortic regurgitation with stentless aortic bioprostheses

Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1999 Oct;11(4 Suppl 1):88-92.

Abstract

Stentless aortic bioprosthesis performance may be affected by geometric distortion, and intraoperative echocardiography typically is used to assess prosthetic valve function. The impact of minimal or mild post-pump aortic regurgitation has not been previously investigated. Intraoperative post-pump transesophageal echocardiograms and follow-up transthoracic echocardiograms (up to 3 years' postoperatively) were reviewed for 96 patients who underwent implantation of Freestyle (Medtronic) stentless aortic bioprostheses. Minimal or mild aortic regurgitation was present post-pump in 50 of 96 (52%) patients. On early follow-up examination (n = 80), no patient had more than mild aortic regurgitation. Aortic regurgitation had completely resolved in 24 of 39 (62%) patients with post-pump aortic regurgitation, including 15 of 19 (79%) patients with minimal paravalvular regurgitation. The incidence of mild aortic regurgitation at 2 and 3 years did not appear different between patients with and those without post-pump aortic regurgitation. Minimal or mild aortic regurgitation is common on intraoperative post-pump transesophageal echocardiography immediately after implantation of stentless aortic bioprostheses. Resolution is common, especially of small paravalvular jets. Minimal or mild post-pump aortic regurgitation infrequently results in even mild aortic regurgitation on early follow-up evaluation and does not appear to predict clinically significant progression of aortic regurgitation on long-term follow-up evaluation.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aortic Valve
  • Aortic Valve Insufficiency / diagnostic imaging
  • Aortic Valve Insufficiency / epidemiology*
  • Aortic Valve Insufficiency / etiology*
  • Bioprosthesis / adverse effects*
  • Echocardiography, Transesophageal
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Heart Valve Prosthesis / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Intraoperative Complications / diagnostic imaging
  • Intraoperative Complications / epidemiology*
  • Intraoperative Complications / etiology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prosthesis Design