The clinical problemAdvances in the management of acute coronary syndromes have increased survival among patients with coronary artery disease; however, secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) still affects more than 2.5 million patients per year, with a double mortality rate in case of moderate-to-severe MR (1). The main long-term manifestations of untreated secondary MR are left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure (HF), with tremendous social implications considering the large part of the population involved in the prevalence of the disease (1-3).
The role of the aortic root is to convert the accumulated elastic energy during systole into kinetic flow energy during diastole, in order to improve blood distribution in the coronary tree. Therefore, the sinuses of Valsalva of the aortic root are not predisposed to accept any bulky material, especially in case of uncrushed solid calcific agglomerates. This concept underlines the differences between surgical aortic valve replacement, in which decalcification is a main part of the procedure, and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Cyclic changes in shape and size of the aortic root influence blood flow in the Valsalva sinuses. Recent papers have been investigating the dynamic changes of the aortic root and whether those differences might be correlated with clinical effects, and this paper aims to summarize part of this flourishing literature. Post-TAVR aortic root remodeling, dynamic flow and TAVR complications might have a fluidodynamic background, and clinically observed side effects such as thrombosis or leaflet degeneration should be further investigated in basic researches. Also, aortic root changes could impact valve type and size selection, affecting the decision of over-sizing or under-sizing in order to prevent valve embolization or coronary ostia obstruction.
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