[Phonomechanocardiography in the evaluation of the functional status of valvular prosthesis]

The FMCG in 22 patients with valvular prosthesis is analyzed and its clinical, hemodynamic and surgical correlation are established (11 from the I.N.C. and 11 from the Hospital Infantil I.M.A.N.). The average age of the patients was 15 years old, 18 had a mitral and six aortic valvulopathy, and they all required a valvular replacement. Of the mitral prosthesis, 14 were Starr-Edwards (13 of ball valve and one of disc), three Lillehei-Kaster and one Börck-Shiley. In 5 patients, the FMCG suspected disfunction that was later corroborated by catheterism in three patients and by surgery in all of them. The important differences of the FMCG between the group with good and the one with bad function were: the aparition of a rumble, a decrease in the amplitud of the closing snap, index of closing snap opering snap of less than one, lenghtening of fases PFVP and IVCP, and shortening of IVDRP. In the patients with auricular fibrilation, after long dyastoles; that would represent an adequate atrial emptying; the closing snap was more intense, the PFVP was lennthened the IVDRP was shortened when the prosthesis was not properly functioning. All the aortic prosthesis were ball valve Starr-Edwards type; in one the FMCG suspected disfunction and the patient had a sudden death outside of the Hospital. The significant differences of the FMCG were the decrease in the intensity of the opening snap, with a Hylen index of less than one, lengthening of the PFVP, IVCP and of the expulsive period (EP). The authors conclude that the FMCG is a good method for an early detection of the disfunctions of valvular prosthesis.