Background: St. Jude Regent heart valve prosthesis has better hemodynamic performance, lesser gradient and increased effective orifice area. In this study, we present the early hemodynamic and clinical results of first 12 patients received St. Jude Regent heart valve prosthesis in aortic position.

Methods: Between September 2000 – December 2000, St. Jude Regent heart valve prosthesis was replaced in aortic position in 12 patients. Mean age was 55.2 ± 12.4 years, and 7 of the patients were male. The procedures were isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) in 7, AVR + mitral valve replacement in 4, and AVR + coronary artery bypass grafting in 1 patient. Patients were evaluated with echocardiography and also for clinical status in 5 ± 2 months of follow-up.

Results: The valve size was 21 mm in 8, and 19 mm in 4 of the cases. In all patients the aortic annulus was small and valvular stenosis was the primary problem. There was no perioperative mortality. Mean cross clamp time was 49.1 ± 22.7 minutes, mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 62.2 ± 23.8 minutes, mean stay time in intensive care unit was 1 day, and mean hospital stay time was 6.7 ± 0.7 days. No complication was detected in the early postoperative period and during follow-up. In postoperative echocardiographic evaluation, effective orifice area was measured as 1.5 ± 0.4 cm2 for 19 mm valve, and 1.9 ± 0.6 cm2 for 21 mm valve, also mean maximum gradient was measured as 27 ± 8 mmHg for 19 mm valve, and 18 ± 4 mmHg for 21 mm valve. All of the patients were in class I functional capacity during follow-up period.

Conclusions: St. Jude Regent mechanical heart valve prosthesis provides better hemodynamic function due to lesser transvalvular gradient and increased effective orifice area in patients with small aortic annulus.