Background: Current mitral bioprostheses are akin to the aortic valve and therefore abolish the left ventricular (LV) physiological vortex. We evaluated the hemodynamic performance and the effects on intraventricular flow dynamics (IFD) of a novel mitral bioprosthesis that presents an innovative design mimicking the native valve.
Methods: A D-shaped self-expandable stent-bovine pericardium monoleaflet valve was designed to provide physiological asymmetric intraventricular flow. Transapical implantation was consecutively performed in 12 juvenile sheep. Postimplant studies using Doppler echocardiography and IFD using echo particle imaging velocimetry were obtained immediately after the implantation and at 3 months to assess the hemodynamic performance of the prostheses.
Results: There were 3 deaths during follow-up, 1 due to valve misplacement because of poor imaging visualization and 2 not valve related. The mean transvalvular gradient and effective orifice area were 2.2 ± 1.2 mm Hg and 4.0 ± 1.1 cm2 after implantation and 3.3 ± 1.5 mm Hg and 3.5 ± 0.5 cm2 at 3 months, respectively. LV vortex dimension, orientation, and physiological anticlockwise rotation were preserved compared with preoperative normal LV flow pattern. One animal showed a moderate paravalvular leak, others mild or none. LV outflow tract obstruction, valve thrombosis, and hemolysis were not observed.
Conclusions: Our preclinical in vivo results confirm the good hemodynamic performance of this new transcatheter bioprosthesis with preservation of the physiological IFD. Clinical studies are needed to document whether these characteristics will foster LV recovery and improve the clinical outcome of patients with mitral regurgitation.
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