title: Hemodynamic comparison between Trifecta and Freestyle valves implanted in small aortic roots. One-year echocardiographic results from a prospective randomized study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aortic valve replacement in patients with a small aortic root may be associated to high residual gradients. In such patients, both stentless valves and aortic annulus enlargement can reduce these residual gradients. Several studies have reported that Trifecta valves yield very good hemodynamic results. The aim of the present study was to compare the hemodynamic performance of Trifecta vs. Freestyle valves at one year in patients with an aortic annulus ≤ 2.3 cm.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between September 2011 and September 2013, 40 patients with a native aortic annulus diameter ≤ 2.3 cm and average age of 81 ± 4 years, were randomized to receive either a St-Jude Trifecta stented prosthesis (20 patients) or a Medtronic Freestyle stentless prosthesis (20 patients).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences between Trifecta and Freestyle were found at one year in mean gradient s: 6.1 ± 3 mmHg and 6.6 ± 3 mmHg (p = 0.796); effective ori fice area: 1.82 ± 0.3 mmHg and 1.76 ± 0.4 mmHg (p = 0.676) or regression of left ventricular mass: - 25% ± 14 vs. -19% ± 16 (p = 0.204), respectively. Only moderate patient -pro sthesis mismatch was found, which affected 3 patient s in each group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At one year both stentless and stented prostheses yielded comparable hemodynamic results. These data suggest that Trifecta implantation is a valid means of avoiding patient -prosthesis mismatch in aortic valve replacement in elderly patients with a small native aortic annulus.
authors.forename: Giordano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tasca
authors.forename: Antonello Stefano
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: Floriana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giannico
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Redaelli
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lobiati
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Triggiani
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galanti
authors.forename: Amando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gamba
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000601:surgery; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting