EVALUATION OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A TRANSVALVULAR CATHETER AORTIC-VALVE GRADIENT IN AORTIC-STENOSIS - A DIRECT HEMODYNAMIC AND DOPPLER-ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC STUDY

We studied 18 patients with aortic stenosis undergoing routine cardiac catheterization to determine the effect of a transvalvular catheter o n transaortic pressure gradients. By measuring the Doppler gradients b efore and after the withdrawal of the pigtail catheter, we demonstrate d significant increases in the peak instantaneous and mean gradients w hen the catheter straddled the valve, an effect that was more pronounc ed with increasing severity of stenosis.