Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare disease characterized by occlusive intracranial arteriopathy with formation of abnormal cerebrovascular collateral networks. Conventional cardiovascular surgical procedures using cardiopulmonary bypass for patients with MMD is challenging because low cerebral perfusion pressure and nonpulsatile (continuous) flow during cardiopulmonary bypass can cause severe cer...

BACKGROUND Valve areas derived by the Gorlin formula have been observed to vary with transvalvular volume flow rate. Continuity equation valve areas calculated from Doppler-echo data have become a widely used alternate index of stenosis severity, but it is unclear whether continuity equation valve areas also vary with volume flow rate. This study was designed to investigate the effects of chang...

As the average lifespan continues to increase, nurses are managing more patients with aortic stenosis. When an asymptomatic patient begins to manifest signs and symptoms due to progressive narrowing and stiffening of the aortic valve, the only effective therapy is surgical replacement of the valve. But, some patients cannot undergo or do not opt for surgery. Nurses are challenged by the tenuous...

THE anatomic sites at which obstruction to the egress of blood from the left ventricle may occur are three in number, as follows (fig. 1): the aorta, the aortic valve, and the subaortic region of the left ventricle. Obstruction in the aorta may involve one of two general areas, namely, (1) the arch or just beyond, the lesions taking the forms of classical coarctation, tubular hypoplasia, or int...

This article aims to increase knowledge and understanding of aortic valve stenosis to support the treatment options available for older patients in the acute setting. The article discusses a relatively new procedure, transcatheter aortic valve implantation, which is appropriate for selected patients with aortic stenosis, and outlines the aftercare involved.

Real-time, cross-sectional echocardiographic studies of the aortic valve were performed in 28 children with congenital valvular aortic stenosis and in 22 normal subjects. The presence of a stenotic valve was indicated by increase in echo production, abnormal motion pattern, and abnormal systolic position of the valve leaflets. Comparison of the maximum aortic cusp separation (MACS) to calculate...

Assessment of the severity of aortic stenosis remains a commonly encountered clinical problem. Noninvasive evaluation has to date not proven sufficiently accurate in most cases to permit clinical decision making in the individual patient. Therefore, cardiac catheterization and measurement of the valve area with use of the Gorlin equation remains the standard approach in patients with suspected ...

Senile degenerative valvular aortic stenosis affects approximately 2% of the population over the age of 65. Aortic stenosis impedes left ventricular emptying and increases left ventricular wall stress, which leads to elevation of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels. Aortic stenosis progresses slowly, allowing the left ventricle to develop concentric hypertrophy, which normalizes wall stress....

The continuity equation suggests that a ratio of velocities at two different cardiac valves is inversely proportional to the ratio of cross-sectional areas of the valves. To determine whether a ratio of mitral/aortic valve orifice velocities is useful in determining aortic valve area in patients with aortic stenosis, 10 control subjects and 22 patients with predominant aortic stenosis were exam...

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has evolved as a routine procedure to treat selected high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis. The new J-Valve prosthesis is designed for antegrade transapical implantation, it is characterized by a porcine aortic prosthesis attaching to a self-expandable Nitinol stent. The key feature of the device are three U-shape anatomically oriented dev...