Comparison of changes in diastolic functions after aortic valve replacement with freestyle stentless porcine xenografts in patients with restrictive and nonrestrictive physiology.

In this study, the effect of valve replacement on diastolic parameters was evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively at 3, 6, and 12 months by comparing diastolic parameters in patients after aortic valve replacement with freestyle stentless porcine xenografts for aortic stenosis. Depending on deceleration time (DT) and isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) with preoperative echocardiographic assessment, patients were divided into two groups: restrictive physiology (DT < or = 150 msec and IVRT < 100 msec, 20 patients), and nonrestrictive physiology (DT > 150 msec and IVRT > or = 100 msec, 27 patients). Although left ventricular mass index significantly decreased in both groups, improvement in DT, IVRT, and ejection fraction occurred only in patients with restrictive physiology. As a result, the patients with restrictive diastolic characteristics had more benefit than the patients with nonrestrictive physiology after aortic valve replacement.