Background The Labcor Dokimos Plus (LDP) is a stented externally mounted
pericardial aortic bioprosthesis, which was recently introduced in Europe.
Aims of the study are evaluation of operative and postoperative results as
well as hemodynamic performance. Methods One hundred consecutive patients with
a mean age of 65.9 ± 10.7 years (range 35–87) and a mean EuroSCORE II of 3.1 ±
3.9 (range 0.67–24.5) underwent aortic valve replacement with the LDP. Mean
valve-size was 25.2 ± 1.7 mm. Concomitant procedures were performed in 34% of
the cases. Postoperative clinical data were analyzed and hemodynamic
performance of the prostheses was evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography.
Clinical follow-up was 100%, echocardiographic follow-up was 93% complete.
Results Intraoperatively no peculiarities occurred. Mean cross clamp times for
isolated and complex procedures were 74.5 ± 20.0 min and 103.7 ± 37.1 min,
respectively. Patients were extubated after a mean of 9.4 ± 15.8 h. There were
no perioperative strokes. Bleeding events occurred in 4 patients. 30-day-
mortality was 2%. One case of early endocarditis occurred. Echocardiography
showed maximum and mean pressure gradients of 18.1 ± 6.4 and 9.6 ± 3.7 mmHg,
respectively. Correspondingly to valve sizes 21, 23, 25 and 27 mm, mean
pressure gradients were 17.3, 9.5, 8.5 and 10.2 mmHg, effective orifice areas
were 1.92, 1.79, 2.0, 2.16 cm2 and indexed effective orifice areas were 1.08,
0.95, 0.99 and 1.01 cm2/m2, respectively. No relevant regurgitations occurred.
Conclusions The LDP showed operatively no peculiarities and a satisfactory
clinical outcome with low perioperative morbidity and mortality. The
hemodynamic performance of the implanted valve sizes was satisfactory
