title: Preservation of the aortic valve in acute type A dissection complicated by aortic regurgitation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to verify the efficacy of preserving the aortic valve in patients with acute type A aortic dissection complicated by significant aortic regurgitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 1979 to December 1996, 178 patients (125 males; mean age 57 +/- 9 years) underwent emergency surgery for acute type A aortic dissection, with an overall operative mortality rate of 21%. Based on a retrospective analysis of the preoperative angio- or echocardiographic findings, the 141 survivors were divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (G1) included 80 patients (57%) with no or mild aortic regurgitation, and Group 2 (G2) the remaining 61 patients with moderate-to-severe aortic regurgitation. The native aortic valve was preserved by means of a uniform technique consisting of reconstruction of the aortic root and sinotubular junction in 99 patients (70%) [68 in G1 (85%) and 31 in G2 (51%)]. Forty-two patients required aortic valve (8 patients; 6%) or total root replacement (34 patients; 24%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At a mean follow-up of 4 +/- 3.6 years (range, 6 months to 19 years), 19 of the 99 patients with a preserved aortic valve developed moderate-to-severe aortic insufficiency [19%; 7/68 in G1 (10%) and 12/31 in G2 (39%)]. Multivariate analysis revealed that moderate-to-severe preoperative aortic valve insufficiency was a significant risk factor for development of postoperative aortic valve regurgitation (p = 0.008). Reoperation was necessary in 7 G1 patients (10%) and in 8 G2 patients (26%), with an actuarial freedom from reoperation at 5 and 10 years of 93% +/- 7% and 80% +/- 9% in G1 patients, and 81% +/- 8% and 40% +/- 15% in G2 patients (p = 0.045).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preservation of the aortic valve and aortic root is recommended in patients with acute type A aortic dissection and absent or mild aortic insufficiency. Patients presenting with moderate-to-severe aortic regurgitation and treated conservatively present an increased risk of recurrent valvular insufficiency.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pessotto
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pugliese
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montalbano
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Luciani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Faggian
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bertolini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazzucco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D001011:Aorta / Q000601:surgery; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012086:Reoperation; D016896:Treatment Outcome