4. Suture-less bio-prosthetic aortic valve replacement: Early clinical and hemodynamic outcome

Suture-less bio-prostheses (SBP) are a recent addition in the surgical armamentarium in the surgical treatment of sever aortic valve disease that offer rapid deployment, shorter bypass & ischemic times and excellent hemodynamic performance even in small aortic annulus. We present our initial experience and short-term clinical and hemodynamic results with the use of suture-less bio-prostheses. Between May 2011 and August 2015, 61 patients, with mean age of 72.6 years and severe aortic stenosis underwent aortic valve replacement with a SBP. 28 were males and 19 were females. Mean euroSCORE was 11.5. 55% had coronary artery disease, 8.5% had severe mitral regurgitation and 6.4% had severe tricuspid regurgitation. Left ventricular dysfunction was present in 28% patients and 83% had elevated right ventricular systolic pressure. Average size of aortic annulus was 21.7 mm. 42.5% patients underwent isolated aortic valve replacement while 57.5% had concomitant procedures including coronary artery bypass grafting (25 patients). Average cross clamp time in isolated aortic valve replacement was 34 min and total bypass time was 46 min. Mean gradient across the prostheses was an average of 8.9 mmHg intra-operatively with 4.3% prevalence of mild para-prosthetic leak and 10.6% prevalence of mild prosthetic regurgitation. In-hospital mortality was 2.1% (1 patient). At follow-up, average mean trans-aortic gradients were 15 mmHg and prevalence of mild prosthetic and para-prosthetic leak was 10.5%. Average left ventricular diastolic dimensions changed from 4.93 mm pre-operatively to 4.42 mm post-operatively ( p  = 0.023) and left ventricular systolic dimensions changed from 3.39 mm pre-operatively to 3.05 mm post-operatively ( p  = 0.124). Use of suture-less bio-prosthesis for aortic valve replacement produces excellent hemodynamic results with low incidence of para-prosthetic leakage and prosthetic regurgitation. Persistent low trans-aortic gradients and regression of left ventricular diastolic dimensions seen on follow up is likely to offer long-term survival benefit.