Elsevier

American Heart Journal

Volume 115, Issue 2, February 1988, Pages 418-425
American Heart Journal

Doppler evaluation of bioprosthetic and mechanical aortic valves: Data from four models in 107 stable, ambulatory patients

https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-8703(88)90490-5Get rights and content

Abstract

To test the applicability of Doppler ultrasound in the evaluation of prosthetic valve function, 107 patients with normal ejection fractions in whom Starr-Edwards, Bjo¨rk-Shiley, Carpentier-Edwards, and Hancock models had been implanted in the aortic position were examined. Maximal transvalvular velocity was recorded by non-imaging continuous wave Doppler ultrasound. Means of maximal velocities by model and size ranged from <2 to 4 m/sec. The Starr-Edwards valve showed the highest velocities, the Bjo¨rk-Shiley the lowest, and the bioprosthetic models showed velocities in between. A significant inverse relation between velocity and size, and standard deviations averaging ± 14% enabled the technique to measure differences between sizes of the same model. Aortic regurgitation was detected in 24% of the patients. This study, conducted in well and stable patients, established values for maximal velocity across normally functioning aortic mechanical and tissue prostheses of different models and sizes. The intersubject variability was relatively small which, together with a previously shown minimal intrasubject variability, was testimony to a methodology that should prove useful in longitudinal postoperative evaluations.

Reference (23)

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    Citation Excerpt :

    However, comparisons of the findings in these studies are flawed because of differences in right ventricular function and follow-up imaging intervals. Several previous studies on aortic prostheses reported an inverse correlation between valve size and flow velocities.5,6,8–10 In contrast, we found no significant inverse correlation when comparing increasing PVP size to peak velocities.

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Supported in part by Veterans Administration Medical Research Funds and by an Investigative Group Award from the American Heart Association, Greater Los Angeles Affiliate, Los Angeles, California.

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