[Left ventricular adaptive response after surgery of aortic valve replacement for severe valvular stenosis].

Background: Myocardial hypertrophy is a compensatory mechanism in patients with severe aortic stenosis. The left ventricle fits the systolic pressure through a hypertrophic process with increased wall thickness. The effects of elevated ventricular afterload reduce ventricular myocardial elasticity and decrease coronary flow with increased myocardial work, oxygen consumption, and mortality.

[Left ventricular rupture of mitral valve prosthesis implantation treated using an intra-aortic balloon pump counterpulsation].

Left ventricular rupture is an infrequent but potentially fatal complication of mitral valve replacement. In spite of the fact that several methods of repair have previously been described, the mortality rate remains nearly 85%. The use of the intra-aortic balloon pump counterpulsation may increase the possibilities of success in the repair of this dreaded complication.