[Diagnostic value of the conventional chest X-ray for the assessment of the hemodynamics after combined aortic and mitral valve replacement].

Conventional roentgenograms of 25 patients who underwent combined aortic and mitral valve replacement were evaluated and correlated with pre- and postoperative functional and haemodynamic parameters. The roentgenograms were obtained 6 months before and up to 25 months after valve replacement. A reduction in heart size could be seen in nearly all patients. This was independent of clinical and haemodynamic results. An increase in heart size always suggests severe haemodynamic worsening, especially a paravalvular leakage. The most valuable x-ray sign is the degree of pulmonary congestion, which is well correlated with the cardiac index.