title: Posterior enlargement of the small annulus during aortic valve replacement versus implantation of a small prosthesis.
abstract: Twenty-two patients with a small aortic annulus were identified among 196 consecutive patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR). The 11 patients in Group 1 underwent posterior enlargement aortic annuloplasty, and the 11 in Group 2 received a small aortic prosthesis (less than or equal to 21 mm). The two groups were unselected. Core hypothermia, cardioplegia, and local cooling were employed for all operations. Isolated AVR was performed in 3 patients in each group. In Group 1, the mean increase in diameter of the annulus was 4.82 mm, which resulted in a mean area increase of 169.91 mm2 (51.7%). Mean aortic cross-clamp times were 140.4 minutes and 93.5 minutes in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. There were 2 operative deaths in Group 1, and 1 operative and 1 late death in Group 2. Mean follow-up was 26.5 months for Group 1 and 43.4 months for Group 2. No thomboembolic or bleeding episodes have been recorded. Considerations and conclusions are offered from the study of this small series of patients.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000601:surgery; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors