[Ultrasonic decalcification in aortic stenosis. Clinical and doppler echocardiographic results].

Ten elderly patients with aortic valve stenosis and with a small calcified annulus (less than 20 mm) were treated by ultrasonic valve debridement (UVD) while 17 other elderly patients underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) during the same period. The clinical and doppler results were assessed for a mean follow-up period of 20 months. Patients with significant aortic regurgitation or associated valve disease were excluded. The patients were studied by m-mode, two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography before, immediately after, and at 6 months interval after the procedure. A successful decalcification was achieved in 8 patients. The valve was replaced in 2 patients because of cusp perforation or unsatisfactory intraoperative result. All patients showed significant postoperative increase in the mobility of the valve cusps, decrease in the amount of calcium, decrease of the aortic mean valve gradient (from 62 +/- 25 to 23 +/- 6 mmHg, p less than 0.001) and increase of the aortic valve area (from 0.49 +/- 0.11 to 1.21 +/- 0.3, p less than 0.001). The mean valve gradient was slightly higher after UVD than after AVR and showed a slight trend to further increase during follow-up, although only one patient had evidence of restenosis. A mild aortic valve insufficiency was present postoperatively in 6 patients. Worsening of insufficiency was noted in 2 patients during the follow-up period and one subject was re-operated on. Surgical ultrasonic debridement of the aortic valve may be effective in selected surgical candidates with small calcified valve and annulus, but subsequent occurrence of aortic insufficiency and restenosis may seriously limit its application.