Short-term hemodynamic performance of the mitral Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT pericardial valve

Background. Although long-term durability data exist, little data are available concerning the hemodynamic performance of the Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT pericardial valve in the mitral position. Methods. Sixty-nine patients who were implanted with mitral PERIMOUNT valves at seven international centers between January 1996 and February 1997 consented to participate in a short-term echocardiography followup. Echocardiographs were collected at a mean of 600 +/- 133 days after implantation (range, 110 to 889 days); all underwent blinded core lab analysis. Results. At follow-up, peak gradients were 9.09 +/- 3.43 mm Hg (mean, 4.36 +/- 1.79 mm Hg) and varied inversely with valve size (p < 0.05). The effective orifice areas were 2.5 +/- 0.6 cm(2) and tended to increase with valve size (p = 0.08). Trace mitral regurgitation (MR) was common (n = 48), 9 patients had mild MR, 1 had moderate MR, none had severe MR. All. MR was central (n = 55) or indeterminate (n = 3). No paravalvular leaks were observed. Mitral regurgitation flow areas were 3.4 +/- 2.8 cm(2) and were without significant volumes. Conclusions. In this multicenter study, these mitral Valves are associated with trace, although physiologically insignificant, central MR. Despite known echocardiographic limitations, the PERIMOUNT mitral valves exhibit similar hemodynamics to other prosthetic valves. (C) 2001 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.