Intraoperative color flow mapping by real-time two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography for evaluation of valvular and congenital heart disease and vascular disease.

We have developed real-time two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography, which can display color flow mapping on a two-dimensional echocardiogram. Intraoperative two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography was performed during cardiovascular operations before and after the definitive procedure in 33 patients, 14 with valvular disease, eight with congenital heart disease, and 11 with vascular disease. Its clinical usefulness was evaluated. In patients with valvular heart disease, 13 valve replacements, 10 valvuloplasties, and four untouched lesions were assessed. No paravalvular leakage and three instances of minimal physiological transvalvular leakage from St. Jude Medical valves in the mitral position were noticed. Regurgitation after valvuloplasty was graded by extent of the regurgitant flow. This grading, comparable to postoperative grading, indicated no need for an additional procedure. In congenital heart disease, preoperative diagnoses were confirmed. The effect of the corrective operation was evaluated and no significant leakage or stenosis was found. Interatrial shunt flow was shown to increase after operative balloon atrial septostomy in a patient with dextro-transposition of the great arteries. In 11 patients with dissecting aortic aneurysm, the aneurysm was totally visualized in the operative field, including the structure and flow dynamics. In two patients, the preoperative cineangiographic diagnosis regarding involvement of dissection was corrected. After the vascular procedure, sufficient flow in the major aortic branches was confirmed in all patients and minimal leakage at the suture line was noticed in four patients. In conclusion, intraoperative color flow mapping by two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography has enabled the precise diagnosis and the necessary operation to be determined before cardiopulmonary bypass. It has also allowed the effects of the operation to be assessed before chest closure.