Left ventricular mass regression after two alternative sutureless aortic bioprostheses.

Objective: Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy in aortic stenosis (AS) constitutes a risk factor for cardiac morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the degree of LV mass regression after aortic valve replacement (AVR) with two alternative sutureless self-expanding strategies: Perceval S (Sorin Group, Saluggia, Italy) (P) and 3f Enable (Medtronic, ATS Medical, Minneapolis, MN USA) (E) aortic bioprostheses.

Methods: Between March 2010 and December 2011, 129 patients with symptomatic AS underwent AVR with the Perceval S or 3f Enable bioprostheses in two cardiac surgery departments (Massa, Italy; Nuremberg, Germany). We analyzed 45 patients in group P and 19 in group E undergoing isolated AVR with a 6-month follow-up. The LV mass was calculated using the Devereux formula and was indexed to body surface area.

Results: Baseline patient characteristics showed no significant differences between the two groups. There were no in-hospital deaths. Two patients in group P died at follow-up versus zero in group E (P = 0.49). Mean LV mass index decreased from 146.6 (78) g/m at baseline to 123.3 (63) g/m at follow-up (P < 0.001) in group P and from 146.1 (47.6) g/m to 118.1 (39.8) g/m (P = 0.003) in group E, with no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.315). This effect was accompanied by significant clinical improvement.

Conclusions: In isolated AS, AVR with sutureless bioprostheses is associated with a significant regression in LV mass at 6-month follow-up. No significant differences were present between the two alternative sutureless strategies. However, regression needs an evaluation with long-term echocardiographic examinations.