In some cases of aortic valve leaflet disease, the implant of a stentless biological prosthesis represents an excellent option for aortic valve replacement (AVR). In particular, if compared with the implant of mechanical valves, it provides a more physiological haemodynamic performance and a reduced thrombogeneticity, avoiding the use of anticoagulants. The clinical outcomes of AVR are strongly...

INTRODUCTION Patients with mechanical heart valve prostheses must continuously be treated with oral anticoagulants to prevent thromboembolic events related to prosthetesis. These patients should be continually evaluated for the control of oral anticoagulation. OBJECTIVE To compare the occurrence of thromboembolic and hemorragic complications in patients with mechanical heart valve prosthesis ...

Aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with a small aortic annulus is a challenging issue. The importance of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) post aortic valve replacement (AVR) is controversial but has to be avoided. Many studies support the fact that PPM has a negative impact on short and long term survival. In order to avoid PPM, aortic root enlargement may be performed. Alternatively a...

We are presenting a case report of failed valve-in-valve treatment of severe aortic stenosis. A control ultrasonography after TAVI implantation revealed a severe aortic regurgitation of the graft which was subsequently unresolved with postimplantation dilatation. Second TAVI was implanted with cranial dislocation to the aortic root. Patient underwent a CT examination to clarify the TAVI in TAVI...

A 83-year-old Caucasian male, known with chronic pulmonary disease, mild renal insufficiency, hypertension and epilepsy, was admitted to our tertiary referral centre for aortic valve replacement because of symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Echocardiography showed aortic stenosis with a peak gradient of 100 mmHg (aortic valve area 0.5 cm2) and a hypertrophic left ventricle with moderate systol...

BACKGROUND The study was designed to evaluate the effects of moderate prosthesis-patient mismatch (defined as 0.65 cm(2)/m(2) <indexed effective orifice area ≤ 0.85 cm(2)/m(2)) on midterm outcomes after isolated aortic valve replacement with a 17-mm St. Jude Medical Regent valve in a large series of patients, and to determine if these effects are influenced by patient confounding variables. M...

A 66-year old man with severe functional mitral regurgitation (Figure 1A) secondary to chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy (previous myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass grafting) and advanced heart failure (left ventricular ejection fraction: 25%; New York Heart Association [NYHA] functional class III) was considered to be at very high surgical risk and was finally accepted by the Hear...

Objective(s): Tissue engineering represents a new approach to solve the current complications of the heart valve replacements by offering viable valve prosthesis with growth and remodeling capability. In this project, electrospinning and dip coating techniques were used to fabricate heart valve constructs from medical grade polyurethane (PU). Methods: Fir...

OBJECTIVE This prospective study aimed to determine to what extent clinical symptoms and neurohumoral activation are improved in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with the CoreValve prosthesis. METHODS From June 2008 to June 2009 consecutive patients with symptomatic severe aortic valve stenosis (area<1 cm(2)), age>or=75 years with...