Comprehensive echocardiographic assessment of the hemodynamic parameters of 285 tricuspid valve bioprostheses early after implantation.
BACKGROUND
Doppler-derived hemodynamic data for normal tricuspid valve bioprostheses are limited.


METHODS
A comprehensive retrospective Doppler echocardiographic assessment of 285 normal Carpentier-Edwards Duraflex, Medtronic Mosaic, St. Jude Medical Biocor, Carpentier-Edwards Perimount, and Medtronic Hancock II tricuspid valve bioprostheses was performed early after implantation. All the important Doppler-derived hemodynamic variables reported to date for mitral valve prostheses were used. Mean values for hemodynamic variables were obtained by averaging measurements of five and nine consecutive cardiac cycles.


RESULTS
No clinically significant difference was found in the mean values obtained for the Doppler parameters when measurements were averaged from five or nine consecutive cardiac cycles. The mean value for the mean gradient was 5.2 mm Hg. Regardless of valve type and body surface area, pressure half-time was <200 msec for all 76 patients in whom it could be measured. Mean gradient <9 mm Hg, E velocity <2.1 m/sec, time-velocity integral of the tricuspid valve prosthesis <66 cm, and ratio of the time-velocity integral of the tricuspid valve prosthesis to the time-velocity integral of the left ventricular outflow tract <3.3 were recorded in 254 of the 285 patients (89%).


CONCLUSIONS
This study establishes parameters for Doppler-derived hemodynamic data for various types of normal tricuspid valve bioprostheses. These threshold values (mean + 2 standard deviations) are specific, but not sensitive, for identifying tricuspid valve bioprosthesis dysfunction. Prostheses with hemodynamic values that are higher than these threshold values are likely dysfunctional, but in select cases, tricuspid valve bioprosthesis dysfunction may be present even when hemodynamic values are lower than these thresholds.
Blauwet
Lori A
LA
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Danielson
Gordon K
GK
Burkhart
Harold M
HM
Dearani
Joseph A
JA
Malouf
Joseph F
JF
Connolly
Heidi M
HM
Hodge
David O
DO
Herges
Regina M
RM
Miller
Fletcher A
FA
D000328:Adult; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery