RESUMO
The development of artificial cardiac valves capable of being positioned by catheter has become an important subject for research, with the objective of treating valvular patients who are not operable or at very high surgical risk. We tested an artificial valve implantable by the percutaneous route, consisting of three leaflets of bovine pericardium sutured to the inside of a stainless steel stent, deployable by inflating a balloon. Following laboratory evaluation, this valve was implanted with success in animals, then for the first time in man, in a case of calcified aortic stenosis. The patient, a 57 year old male in cardiogenic shock, had associated multiple non-cardiac pathology and could not be operated on. Implantation was carried out by the trans-septal anterograde route, the only route available due to severe end stage arteritis. The artificial valve was deposited in the centre of the native aortic valve, without obstructing the coronaries nor reaching the mitral valve. The result was spectacular with instantaneous haemodynamic improvement and excellent valvular function confirmed by transoesophageal echocardiography every 15 days after implantation. Non-cardiac complications marred the progress, dominated by aggravation of pre-existing leg ischaemia, necessitating amputation for which the consequences were fatal at 4 months. This case demonstrates that implantation of a cardiac valve by the percutaneous route is possible in calcified aortic stenosis, and that it brings rapid clinical improvement. This technique could in future constitute an important alternative therapeutic approach for selected patients.
