echocardiography of prosthetic heart valves
Last reviewed 07/2021
- ultrasound is used for follow-up and investigation of valve malfunction
- because metallic components prevent the onward conduction of the ultrasound, artificial valves should be visualised in two perpendicular planes
- the diastolic and systolic positions of the valves may be assessed by ultrasound
- in the case of mitral-valve prostheses, transoesophageal echocardiography provides more functional and anatomical information than transthoracic echocardiography.