Abstract

To report the operative data, the immediate surgical results and the short-term follow-up of patients who were implanted with an Edwards’s elite intuity bioprosthesis at the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Department of Reims (France). This was a retrospective and prospective study that was carried out from May 2015 to October 2017 in the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Department of the Robert Debré Hospital. 20 patients were operated on for aortic valve stenosis using vertical midline sternotomy and "L" ministernotomy approaches with implantation of a rapidly deploying aortic valve bioprosthesis of the Intuity Elite bioprosthesis type from Edwards Lifesciences. The results of the study showed that minimal leaks occured and a permanent dual chamber pacemaker was implanted in a patient for third degree atrioventricular block. Post-surgery symptoms observed in patients included dyspnea, palpitation and infectious Enterococcus faecium endocarditis. In conclusion, “Sutureless” valves allow easier surgical implantation and shorter aortic clamping times than sutured prostheses. Meanwhile, intuity Elite maintains a better transvalvular gradient.

Key words: Elite intuity, follow-up, bioprosthesis, aortic valve.