BACKGROUND This study compared surgical outcomes of patients with previous cardiac surgery undergoing transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation (PCS-TA-TAVI) with those of patients undergoing transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation as an initial procedure (initial TA-TAVI) by using propensity analysis. METHODS From January 2005 through January 2013, 267 consecutive high-...

The manuscript published by Carrascal et al. in this issue of Revista Clínica Española reports outcomes and evaluates risk factors affecting mortality following surgical aortic valve replacement in octogenarians. This publication is a welcome addition to the emerging literature on the subject and is particularly unique as it is the largest Spanish series of octogenarians undergoing isolated and...

OBJECTIVE To assess the pattern and progression of aortic valve dysfunction by serial Doppler echocardiographic examinations in ambulatory adult patients with congenital bicuspid aortic valve. DESIGN AND SETTING Retrospective analysis of patients referred for Doppler echocardiography over a four year period. SUBJECTS Fifty one adult patients with echocardiographic diagnosis of congenital bi...

It is important to diagnose and treat diseases of the aortic valve. Untreated aortic valve disease can eventually result in heart failure, severe infection, and even sudden death. Some patients present with severe symptoms, whereas others have few, if any symptoms. The diagnosis may be made on a routine physical examination. Regular medical follow-up, treatment to prevent infection of the valve...

Twenty-four patients with aortic valve disease were studied before and 19+/-12 months following valve replacement with a well functioning prosthesis. Biplane left ventricular angiography and pressures were utilized to determine end-diastolic volume/m2 (EDV), end-systolic volume/m2 (ESV), ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular mass/m2 (LVM) and stroke work (SW). There were nine patients with a...

Around the world, tens of thousands of people have been treated for a life threatening heart condition using a minimally invasive technique that many see as the wave of the future. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) offers hope to patients too old or too ill for conventional aortic valve replacement operations, and since its introduction 10 years ago it has spread swiftly—by the end...

Dehiscence of the valve is a serious complication of prosthetic heart valve replacement. It has grave consequences unless promptly diagnosed and corrected by surgery. We report the case of a symptomless patient with near-complete detachment of the aortic prosthesis, diagnosed by radiography and two-dimensional echocardiography. This was confirmed at surgery and the dehisced prosthetic valve was...

  Multiple aorto-cardiac cavity communications is very rare but important complication of prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis. The case below illustrates multiple aorto-cardiac cavity fistula formation following prostethic aortic valve endocarditis presented with slowly progressive symptoms of heart failure. A brief review of surgical reconstruction and the existing literature are presented, i...

BACKGROUND Avulsion of the aortic valve commissure as a cause of acute aortic valve regurgitation is mostly due to trauma, infective endocarditis, or ascending aortic dissection. Nontraumatic avulsion of the aortic valve commissure is very rare. We reviewed the literature and analyzed potential risk factors of nontraumatic avulsion. CASE PRESENTATION An 80-year-old male with hypertension was ...

Prosthetic aortic valve and conduit dehiscence with periconduit cavity and ascending aortic aneurysm is an uncommon complication of aortic root surgery. It is usually recognizable at echocardiography due to an abnormal position of the prosthetic valve and conduit in relation to the native aortic annulus in conjunction with an abnormal echolucent periconduit space that fills with color flow. Mit...