Use of Indicator Dilution Techniques in Measuring Combined Aortic and Mitral Insufficiency

Abstract

In patients with combined aortic and mitral valvular insufficiency, the combined regurgitant fraction across both valves has been shown to equal the product of the regurgitant fractions at each valve. This relationship was validated in nine patients, and in eight other patients was used to predict the degree of regurgitation at one valve when the regurgitant fraction at the other valve and the combined regurgitant fraction were known. Confirmation of the predicted degrees of insufficiency were afforded by cineangiocardiography and surgical inspection. Information of considerable usefulness predicting the least possible degrees of valvular insufficiency could be obtained from the measurement of the combined regurgitant fraction alone.