[Aortic valve replacement with stentless porcine aortic valve].

The Toronto stentless porcine valve (TSPV) is a stentless porcine aortic valve, preserved with glutaraldehyde solution, which has been designed to maintain natural laminar blood flow and improve hemodynamic performance and enhance durability. Aortic valve replacement with TSPV was performed in seven patients. The reason for this indication was advanced age (65 years or more) in six patients and connective tissue disease in another patient. One patient required reoperation because of prosthetic valve endocarditis 4 months after implantation. There were no other valve-related complications. Echocardiographic examination of prosthetic valve function one month after surgery showed no aortic regurgitation in any patient. Transprosthetic gradient was 15.1 +/- 5.0 mmHg. Technical know-how is required for the implantation. The hemodynamic characteristics of the TSPV were excellent. Further follow-up is required to determine durability, but further extensive indication of this valve is expected as a bioprosthesis.