Background and aims of the study: No prior studies have defined pre- versus postoperative hemodynamics of large numbers of patients with low mean transvalvular gradients. This was our objective.
Methods: Retrospective analysis was undertaken of preoperative and postoperative echo/Doppler data in 294 patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis (AS). Some 136 patients had a preoperative mean gradient of < 50 mmHg. The relationship of preoperative to pre- minus postoperative (delta) mean gradient (GRAD), peak valvular velocity (V2), left ventricular outflow tract velocity (V1), V1/V2 ratio, V2-V1, and aortic valve area (AVA) were plotted and analyzed such that a 'zero-benefit threshold' from surgery could be estimated.
Results: Strong relationships (r > 0.80) were noted for GRAD to delta GRAD, V2 to delta V2, and (V2-V1) to delta (V2-V1) with zero-benefit thresholds of 16 mmHg for GRAD, 2.6 m/s for V2 and 1.7 m/s for V2-V1. These thresholds were lower in patients who received homografts (11 mmHg, 2.2 m/s, and 1.1 m/s respectively), p < 0.02. The relationship of pre operative V1/V2 to delta V1/V2 and AVA-delta AVA were weaker (r = 0.52 and 0.33 respectively) with zero-benefit thresholds of 0.41 and 2.0 cm2. Among patients with depressed preoperative fractional shortening, improvement was confined to those without coexistent coronary artery disease.
Conclusion: This analysis of thresholds of mean gradient benefit suggests that most patients with low gradient AS improve hemodynamically from AVR. The hemodynamic 'break-even' point averages a mean gradient of 16 mmHg.