Martin Tuna

Valve Cuspidity: A Risk Factor for Aortic Valve Repair?

The aim of this study was to analyze short‐ and mid‐term results after aortic valve (AV) repair with particular regard to the impact of valve cuspidity (bicuspid versus tricuspid aortic valve).

Echocardiography of the Aortic Valve

Echocardiography (TTE, TEE) is currently the leading method in diagnostics of valve diseases. It is an initial examination in suspicion of valve disease due to its accessibility, simplicity, and non-invasivity. Echocardiography is a highly reliable method in the disease aetiology and significance assessment and it is important in treatment decision. It does not use radiation and so it is arbitrarily repeatable and optimal in monitoring of patients with valve disease. Together with clinical examination, it precisely determines timing and type of surgery. Perioperative TEE is indispensable in the assessment of the result of surgery, particularly in valve-sparing procedures. Early post-operative echocardiography is the first examination in the assessment of post-operative complications. In the long-term follow-up, echocardiography is used for follow-up of patients with residual valve disease.