Effect of preoperative balloon aortic valvuloplasty in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis undergoing non-cardiac surgery

Abstract

　Purpose: We report the effect of preoperative balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

　Method: We retrospectively examined the use of preoperative BAV in 27 patients with severe AS undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

　Result: Preoperative BAV significantly increased the aortic valve area, and decreased the maximum blood flow velocity and the mean aortic valve pressure gradient. The average period to surgery was 22 days.

　Intraoperatively, we monitored only the invasive arterial pressure in all patients. A vasopressor or inotropic agent was administered in 26 of those. All patients survived 30 days after surgery.

　Conclusion: Preoperative BAV relieved the severity of AS and may have contributed to good surgical outcome under careful perioperative management.