Valvular and coronary artery surgery.
This brief review supplements recent extensive discussion of valvular and coronary artery surgery in this journal.  It includes 1) ultrasonic decalcifications of stenotic aortic valves, a technique once more found wanting because of induced aortic incompetence; 2) the concept of prosthesis-specific anticoagulation, adjusting the level of anticoagulant control for individual prosthetic valves to minimize thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications; 3) the use of homograft aortic roots to treat aortic prosthetic valve endocarditis; and 4) a new approach to the repair of postinfarction ventricular septal defects, supported by excellent results.
University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
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Breckenridge
D000925:Anticoagulants; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000628:therapy; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D006342:Heart Rupture, Post-Infarction / Q000601:surgery; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy