A three year experience with the toronto stentless porcine valve

In the three year period from March 1994, 112 Toronto Stentless Porcine Valves (SPV TM) were implanted in the Western Infirmary, Glasgow. There were 55 males and 57 females aged between 45 and 86 years (mean 70.9 +/- 7.2 yrs). The mean preoperative aortic gradient was 89 +/- 27 mmHg. Fifty-three patients (47%) had an isolated first time aortic valve replacement. Myocardial revascularisation was carried out in 51 patients (46%) with a mean of 1.7 +/- 0.9 coronary bypass grafts per patient. Six patients (5.3%) had associated mitral valve procedures and six patients (5.3%) had previous open heart surgery. Four patients (3.6%) had a minimally invasive procedure. There was one perioperative death (0.9%) which was not valve related. Of the 111 survivors there were three late deaths (cerebrovascular accident at two months and congestive cardiac failure at two months and four months). Two patients developed prosthetic valve endocarditis at three and five months respectively, one requiring a repair of a periprosthetic leak. To compare the effects of stented and stentless prostheses on early haemodynamic function and late left ventricular mass regression, a prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted. Following valve sizing, 20 patients were randomized to receive a Carpentier-Edwards SAV stented bioprosthesis (mean annular size-25.3 mm, mean valve size-23 mm) of which eight also had bypass grafts. Twenty patients were randomized to receive a Toronto SPV (mean annular size-25.5 mm, mean valve size-26 mm) of which nine had bypass grafts. The stentless valve group had a longer ischaemic time (77.9 +/- 20.9 min v 60.9 +/- 21.9 min) and bypass time (101.7 +/- 27.1 min v 82.9 +/- 20.2 min). Using continuous cardiac output monitoring, no statistically significant differences were found in early haemodynamic indices although the stentless group required less inotropes and had a shorter ventilation time (16.1 +/- 4.2 hrs v 55.2 +/- 104.9 hrs) and intensive care stay (1.1 +/- 0.2 days v 4.6 +/- 8.3 days). Mean and peak aortic gradients one week postoperatively were lower in the stentless group (5.6 +/- 3 mmHg v 8.9 +/- 2.3 mmHg and 12.5 +/- 7.8 mmHg v 24.4 +/- 8.8 mmHg respectively). Magnetic resonance imaging at six months showed a 15% reduction in the end systolic muscle mass index in the stented group but a greater reduction of 29% in the stentless group. This study shows that despite requiring a more demanding technique of insertion, aortic valve replacement with the Toronto stentless porcine valve can produce satisfactory early clinical results.