Noninvasive Estimation of Left Ventricular Function After Mitral and Aortic Valve Replacement With the Hancock Porcine Prosthesis

Left ventricular function was noninvasively assessed by echocardiography, and left ventricular ejection time index (LVETI) was derived from external carotid pulse tracings in 25 patients before (B) and an average of 17 days after (A) Hancock porcine valve implantation. Fifteen patients had aortic valve replacement and 10 had mitral valve replacement; 4 had a combined procedure. In the aortic and combined group, (n = 15) there were significant (P < 0.0025) changes of mean (± 1 SD) left ventricular end-systolic dimension (ESD), B = 5.1 ± 0.9, A = 4.3 ± 0.9 cm; end-diastolic dimension (EDD), B = 5.7 ± 1, A = 4.9 ± 0.9 cm; mean rate of circumferential fiber shortening (VCF), B = 0.37 ± 0.05, A = 0.75 ± 0.04 circumf/sec and LVETI, B = 0.45 ± 0.05, A = 0.39 ± 0.02 sec. In subgroups with preoperative aortic stenosis (n = 8), combined aortic stenosis and insufficiency (n = 3), and coexisting aortic and mitral disease (n = 4), there was a uniform reduction of ESD, EDD, and LVETI with an increase of VCF. In the isolated mitral valve replacement group (n = 10), the values were ESD (B = 4.6 ± 0.7, A = 4.4 ± 0.8 cm, P = not significant); EDD (B = 5.2 ± 0.6, A = 4.7 ± 0.8 cm, P < 0.0025); VCF (B = 0.36 ± 0.08, A = 0.7 ± 0.04 circumf/sec, P < 0.0025); and LVETI (B = 0.40 ± 0.03, A = 0.37 ± 0.03 sec P < 0.05). Patients with mitral stenosis (n = 2), mitral insufficiency (n = 3), and combined mitral stenosis and insufficiency (n = 5) all had a postoperative decrease in ESD, EDD, and LVETI with augmentation of VCF. We concluded that (1) early noninvasive assessment of left ventricular function after Hancock valve implantation indicates a significant hemody namic improvement, and (2) echocardiography combined with external ca rotid arterial pulse tracing analysis is useful for the follow-up of patients who receive Hancock valves.