Hemodynamic performance of the Carpentier-Edwards pericardial valve in the aortic position in vivo.

The bovine pericardial valve was developed to improve the hemodynamic function of tissue valves. Eighty-one patients undergoing aortic valve replacement with the Carpentier-Edwards pericardial valve in the aortic position were studied intraoperatively. Mean gradient across the valve (mm Hg) decreased as valve size increased: size 19, 23.0 +/- 7.8; size 21, 19.7 +/- 6.6; size 23, 15.2 +/- 8.6; size 25, 13 +/- 4.0. Mean valve orifice area (cm2) increased as valve size increased: size 19, 1.1 +/- 0.4; size 21, 1.4 +/- 0.6; size 23, 2.0 +/- 0.7; size 25, 2.1 +/- 0.7. The mean transvalvular gradient, valve orifice area, and performance index increased as mean flow increased. The Carpentier-Edwards pericardial valve provides excellent hemodynamic performance that is acceptable even in size 19.