Usefulness of the cryolife o’brien stentless suprannular aortic valve to prevent prosthesis-patient mismatch in the small aortic root

• Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2002-06, Vol.39 (11), p.1845-1851
• Main Authors: Gelsomino, Sandro, Morocutti, Giorgio, Frassani, Romeo, Da Col, Paolo, Carella, Rocco, Livi, Ugolino
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis of Variance; Aortic Valve - anatomy & histology; Aortic Valve - diagnostic imaging; Aortic Valve - surgery; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology; Cardiovascular disease; Coronary vessels; Female; Heart surgery; Heart Valve Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Heart Valve Diseases - mortality; Heart Valve Diseases - surgery; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mortality; Patients; Postoperative Complications; Postoperative period; Prostheses; Prosthesis Design; Rheumatic diseases; Risk Factors; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the heart; Thoracic surgery; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0735-1097; 1558-3597
• DOI: 10.1016/S0735-1097(02)01861-2

This study evaluated the occurrence of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) after Cryolife O’Brien (CLOB) suprannular stentless valve replacement in patients with a small aortic root and its repercussions on the patient’s hemodynamic status and left ventricular mass regression. The correct management of the small aortic annulus is still controversial. Small aortic prostheses can lead to a PPM, which results in high gradients with important repercussions on the hemodynamic status. Seventy-two patients (mean age: 72.5 ± 6.2 years, 73.6% women) with a small aortic root (≤21 mm intraoperatively measured aortic annulus) had a CLOB valve implanted in the aortic position between November 1993 and July 2001 at our institution. Mean prosthesis size was 22.0 ± 0.8 mm. Patients underwent echocardiography preoperatively, at discharge, six months, one year and yearly thereafter. The incidence of PPM at discharge was 22.2% (16/72); 18.7% were severe (effective orifice area index [EOAI] ≤0.65 cm/m2), 43.7% were moderate (EOAI = 0.66 to 0.75 cm/m2) and 37.6% were mild (0.76 to 0.85 cm/m2). At multivariable analysis, gender (p < 0.001), age (p = 0.015), body surface area (p < 0.001) and patient’s annulus index (p < 0.001) were significant factors influencing the occurrence of “transient” PPM. At one year the incidence of PPM was 0%. Suprannular CLOB valve yielded excellent hemodynamic results in patients with small aortic roots. This study demonstrates that PPM can be completely avoided when using the CLOB valve. The superior hemodynamics of this stentless valve are likely to be related to its suprannular design.