[Pre-, intra- and postoperative echocardiography in cardiovascular diseases. Diseases of the aortic valve]

Abstract

Nowadays, by means of the conventional and Doppler echocardiography it is possible to diagnose with high sensitivity and specificity a defect of the aortic valve. Apart from references to the etiology kind and size of the lesion of the aortic valve, the degree of an obstruction and/or regurgitation as well as degree of hypertrophy and function of the left ventricle are reliably recognizable. Thereby the one- and two-dimensional echocardiography on the one hand and the Doppler methods on the other a different value is ascribed to in the diagnostic statement. By means of Doppler echocardiography the essential functional parameters of a stenosis of the aortic stenosis such as pressure gradient and surface of the opening of the aortic valve are to be determined noninvasively. An insufficiency of the aortic valve only by Doppler methods can be determined non-invasively without doubt. Under certain prerequisites the complex echocardiography can be made dispensable the invasive diagnostics in patients with defects of the aortic valve under preoperative aspects--apart from a coronary angiography.