39. Speckle tracking echocardiography in patients with severe aortic stenosis and preserved ejection fraction undergoing aortic valve replacement

To evaluate myocardial strain by 2-dimensional speckle-tracking Echocardiography (2D-STE) in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF), before and after aortic valve replacement (AVR). Severe AS is characterized by chronic increase in the LV pressure and LV hypertrophy which lead to changes in the LV geometry. Impairment of the LV function in severe AS occurs despite of normal LV volumes and EF. Strain analysis by (2D-STE) can detect early and subtle changes of the LV function and can help in referring patients for earlier AVR to obtain better outcome. 15 selected patients with severe AS (aortic valve area