title: [Initial experience of transcatheter implantation with a new aortic valve in sheep].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility and short-term results of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) using a new transcatheter valve.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy adult sheep received general anesthesia. Under the guidance of X-ray and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), the new anti-calcification transcatheter valve was released from delivery system and implanted at the level of native aortic annulus via left common carotid artery. Position and function of the new anti-calcification transcatheter valve were evaluated by angiography and TTE immediately after intervention. Thirty day survival rate of animals was obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  New transcatheter valves were implanted in all sheep. Fifteen sheep (75%) survived up to 30 days and post-operative examination showed that the transcatheter valve was in optimal position without migration and mitral valve impingement. The native coronary artery was patent in these animals. There was a slight paravalvular leak in 5 sheep. Postoperative echocardiography showed reflux percentage was significantly increased (P < 0.05) compared pre-intervention. Effective orifice area, aortic systolic pressure, diastolic aortic pressure, mean aortic pressure, left ventricular systolic pressure, left ventricular end diastolic pressure and heart rate were similar between post and pre-intervention (all P < 0.05). Five sheep died after TAVI within 30 days, including one fatal ventricular fibrillation occurred immediately after releasing the transcatheter valve and another sheep died of acute myocardial infarction due to left main coronary artery occlusion evidenced by angiography. Two sheep died of severe mitral regurgitation at 8 and 12 hours post-operation and one died of infective endocarditis at 26 days after intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our favorable preliminary results showed that it was feasible to perform TAVI using the new transcatheter valve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Jian-ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Li-fang
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xue-xin
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jin-cheng
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shi-qiang
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ding-hua
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D012756:Sheep; D016896:Treatment Outcome