Speckle Tracking Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Ventricular Function by Myocardial Strain Before and After Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background & Objectives: In patients of aortic stenosis and regurgitation, pressure and volume effects on left ventricular function are occult and missed by routine echocardiography markers like ejection fraction (EF). Speckle tracking analysis by measuring global longitudinal strain and global circumferential strain seems to ascertain this occult LV function parameters at an early phase in a more comprehensive manner. Limited studies have examined these parameters pre/post aortic valve replacement (AVR).