Table 2 Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria

Isolated aortic valve replacement or associated with myocardial revascularization and/or tricuspid valve repair

Age (> 18 years and < 85 years)

Exclusion criteria

Emergency surgery

Surgery other than full sternotomy

Heart transplantation

Any procedure involving the aorta (such as Bentall procedure, surgery for dissection, and so on)

Redo surgery

Active infective endocarditis

Associated mitral valve surgery

Heart failure (ejection fraction < 40%) or preoperative cardiogenic shock

Systolic pulmonary arterial pressure > 60 mmHg

Patient’s protocol refusal

Pregnancy

Mentally handicapped patients, pre-existing psychiatric disease or addiction

Advanced respiratory failure (forced expiratory volume in 1 second or vital capacity below 50% of the predicted)

Severe renal failure

History of allergy or intolerance to iodinated contrast infusion

Patients living more than 100 km away from the investigation center