[Doppler echocardiography assessment of tricuspid valve prosthesis with normal function and with dysfunction due to obstruction].
In order to know the normal ranges of the maximum velocity and the pressure half-time between normal functioning tricuspid prostheses and malfunctioning tricuspid prostheses due to obstruction, we studied 25 patients with tricuspid prostheses (11 mechanical and 14 biological); they were divided in 2 groups: group I: 14 patients without clinical evidence of malfunction and; group II: 11 patients with malfunction due to obstruction confirmed by catheterization, surgery and/or necropsy. The peak gradient was estimated by the modified Bernoulli equation and the prosthetic valve area by the pressure halftime method.


RESULTS
the mean peak velocity in group I was 147 +/- 18 cm/sec versus 165 +/- 16 cm/sec (p NS) in group II. The mean pressure half-time in group I was 124 +/- 20 msec versus 355 +/- 48 msec (p less than 0.001) in group II.


CONCLUSIONS
1. A pressure half-time greater than 200 msec is very suggestive of malfunction due to obstruction (p less than 0.001). 2. There are normo-functioning tricuspid prostheses with prolonged pressure half-time, and the values that divides these groups from those with malfunction is small: 199 and 244 msec, that is why we suggest that every patient has to have his her own echocardiographic control in the immediate postoperative period.
Tello Osorio
R A
RA
Hospital de Cardiología Luis Méndez, México, D.F.
Cuan Juan
V M
VM
Monteverde Grether
C
C
González Carmona
V M
VM
Astudillo
R
R
Farell
J
J
Cuan Pérez
M
M
D000328:Adult; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology
Evaluación mediante ecocardiografía Doppler de las prótesis valvulares tricuspídeas con función normal y con disfunción por obstrucción.