[Phenocardiographic and auscultatory patterns in patients with normally functioning Björk-Shiley aortic prosthesis...

Phonocardiographic examination was carried out in 40 patients who had undergone to aortic valve replacement with the Björk-Shiley prothesis. The regular function of the prothesis was evaluated on the basis of the physical, radiological and electrocardiographic data. In the majority of the cases the first sound was slight. The prosthetic closing sound was made of two components (a2, A2) and the opening sound by one or more components (C1, C2, C3). A sistolic aortic murmur was always present, and a diastolic murmur has been found in 20% of the cases.