Stentless aortic valve replacement in elderly patients.

OBJECTIVE: Seven-year clinical and hemodynamic results of the Cryolife O'Brien (CLOB) stentless bioprosthesis in elderly patients are reported. METHODS: From 1993 to 2000, 36 patients aged >75 years had a CLOB implanted in the aortic position. Eighteen (50%) were male. All patients were monitored with serial echocardiograms performed preoperatively, at discharge, six months, one year and yearly thereafter. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality was 2.4% (1/36). Actuarial survival at one, five and seven years were 96.7+/-1.5, 94.8+/-2.0 and 94.8+/-2.0%, respectively. Peak and mean gradients (PG and MG) reduced and effective orifice area index (EOAI) increased over time (P<0.001). Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) reduced by 32 g/m2 at discharge (P<0.001) and by 33 g/m2 at six months (P<0.001) without further significant changes. CONCLUSIONS: In our series CLOB xenograft resulted to be a satisfactory valve substitute in elderly patients.

Time course of left ventricular remodeling after stentless aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Stentless aortic valves are associated with a significant decrease in left ventricular hypertrophy. This study examined the time course and factors affecting left ventricular mass regression (LVMR) after aortic valve replacement (AVR) with Cryolife O'Brien (CLOB) (Cryolife International, Atlanta, Ga) stentless valves. METHODS: Between 1993 and 2000, 130 consecutive patients underwent AVR with CLOB. Mean age was 71.3 +/- 6.3 years. Sixty-four (49.2%) were male. Mean body surface area (BSA) was 1.7 +/- 0.2 m(2). Mean valve size implanted was 23.6 +/- 2.0 mm. All patients were monitored with serial echocardiograms; the first study was performed preoperatively, and subsequent controls were at 6 months, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 years, respectively. Left ventricular mass was calculated by the Devereux formula and indexed by BSA. RESULTS: Analysis of variance showed a significant reduction in the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) over time (P < .001). Most LVMRs occurred within the first 6 months, and after 1 year LVMI had decreased by 37.5% with further, but not statistically significant, reductions at later examinations. We found that baseline BSA > 1.75 m(2), male sex, arterial blood pressure > or = 150 mm Hg, left ventricular ejection fraction < or = 35%, New York Heart Association functional class > or = III, non-sinus rhythm, and prevalent aortic incompetence to be factors influencing LVMR. LVMR was not related to postoperative effective orifice area < or = 0.85 cm/m(2) and prosthetic size. CONCLUSIONS: AVR with a CLOB valve is followed by a significant LVMR that occurs soon after surgery. It is influenced by several patient-related factors: most of them can be predicted preoperatively.

Early recovery of left ventricular function after stentless versus stented aortic valve replacement for pure aortic stenosis and severe cardiac dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate early recovery of systolic function after stentless aortic valve replacement (AVR) versus stented AVR. METHODS: Fifty-four consecutive patients with pure aortic stenosis and impaired left ventricular function (LVEF < or = 35%) were studied retrospectively. Aortic regurgitation, concomitant valvular or coronary artery surgery, atrial fibrillation, and a previous AVR were exclusion criteria. Twenty-two patients (mean age, 70.0 +/- 6.5 years) received a stentless bioprosthesis and 32 (mean age, 58.9 +/- 6.2 years, P =.031 between groups) a mechanical or stented biologic valve. Patients underwent echocardiography preoperatively, at discharge, at 6 months, and at 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: At 6 months, analysis of variance demonstrated significant differences between groups in fractional shortening measured at the endocardium and midwall fractional shortening (<0.001), velocity of circumferential shortening (P <.001) ejection fraction (P =.02), left ventricular mass index (P <.001), systolic meridional wall stress, and circumferential wall stress (P <.001), One-year studies confirmed these findings. CONCLUSION: LV function showed, after a stentless AVR, an early recovery greater than in patients receiving a stented valve.

[Kissing-stent technique for the treatment of spontaneous coronary artery dissection]. / Trattamento con tecnica "kissing-stent" di un'estesa dissezione spontanea dell'arteria discendente anteriore.

A 60-year-old woman referred to our hospital because of increasing dyspnea and angina. Her past history included an anterior myocardial infarction, associated with a large coronary dissection of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. The infarction resulted in a ventricular aneurysm which was treated with surgical excision without coronary revascularization. Coronary angiography showed a linear filling defect involving the left anterior descending coronary artery. Intracoronary ultrasound revealed a long intimal tear dividing the artery into two separated lumens. A kissing-stent technique was used to preserve the anatomical and functional integrity of the main vessel as well as of the diagonal branch. Two premounted stents were positioned covering the origin of both branches of the bifurcation. Simultaneous inflation of the two balloons created a metallic new-carina, 1 cm proximal to the bifurcation. Five months later the patient was readmitted with chest pain and repeat coronary angiography demonstrated a severe in-stent restenosis. Re-coronary angioplasty resulted in a good angiographic result. At 4 months from the last procedure there is no complaint of angina.

Aortic pseudocoarctation. Description of two cases.

Aortic pseudocoarctation is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by elongation and kinking of the aortic arch. Regarded as a benign condition for a long time, several reports demonstrate that complications may occur so that a careful follow-up of patients affected by aortic pseudocoarctation is mandatory. In this context we describe two patients recently evaluated in our institution and review the literature to establish the most accurate diagnostic techniques (also considering newer noninvasive imaging modalities such as transesophageal echocardiography and nuclear magnetic resonance) and to evaluate the prognosis.

Asymptomatic superior vena caval occlusion: a complication of nonthoracotomy implantation of cardioverter defibrillator.

A patient with ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and history of ventricular fibrillation received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator by the nonthoracotomy approach. Four years later, during elective replacement of an exhausted pulse generator, a superior vena caval thrombotic occlusion with collateral circulation through the azygos and emiazygos vein systems was documented. This occlusion occurred despite an anticoagulant treatment in the standard therapeutic range. We speculate that thrombotic occlusion might be secondary to a mechanical vessel injury.