EFFECT OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR EJECTION FRACTION ON MALFUNCTIONING ST-JUDE MEDICAL PROSTHESIS IN THE AORTIC-VALVE POSITION

Abnormal transvalvular flow due to partial or complete obstruction of the outflow orifice or the mobile element, and valve leaks due to valvular or paravalvular lesions, are the 2 main types of prosthetic valve dysfunction. Quantitative Doppler echocardiography has been used for assessing transprosthetic flow characteristics and pressure gradients.1-5 In addition to prosthetic size, left ventricular (LV) function may be another important factor in assessing transprosthetic hemodynamic parameters. In a previous report of ours6; we assessed 74 patients with normally functioning St. Jude medical (SJM) prostheses in the aortic valve position by using Doppler echocardiography and found that a depressed LV ejection fraction resulted in corresponding changes in Doppler-derived transprosthetic hemodynamic measurements. The study evaluates the effect of LV function on Doppler-derived hemodynamic indexes in abnormally functioning SJM prostheses in the aortic valve position. © 1990.