2.1 Study subjects
Patient enrollment criteria: age ≥18 years old; diagnosed with severe
calcific AS by echocardiography with a maximum aortic jet velocity
>4.0 m/s and mean gradient >40 mm Hg, or
continuity equation valve area <1.0 cm2, or
valve area indexed for body surface
area (BSA) <0.6
cm2/m2;12considered for a biological aortic valve. Exclusion criteria included
planned and unplanned concomitant procedure, history of previous cardiac
surgery, thoracic deformity, porcelain ascending aorta, and high
surgical risk if patient’s Society
of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score was higher than 8%.