THE HEMODYNAMIC ALTERATIONS PRODUCED BY A PLASTIC VALVULAR PROSTHESIS FOR SEVERE AORTIC INSUFFICIENCY IN MAN 12

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Abstract
A plastic ball valve was inserted in the descending thoracic aorta in 9 patients with free aortic regurgitation. Postoperatively, femoral arterial pressure pulse contours changed toward normal, while the pulse pressure in the brachial artery widened. Cardiac outputs (Fick) were significantly increased in 6 patients, decreased in 1. Mean dye circulation times (Hamilton) were decreased postoperatively in 7 of 8 cases. Postoperative dye concn. curves drawn from the brachial artery were similar in shape and duration to postoperative femoral dye curves. An increased effective stroke vol., postoperatively, with the dye curve alterations noted, suggests that reduction of the total vol. of regurgitation results in more effective left ventricular contraction.