title: Ultrasonic aortic valve decalcification.
abstract: We report a case of calcific aortic stenosis in a 79-year-old man who had undergone aortocoronary bypass. Since ordinary valve replacement was problematic because of severe annular calcification, a small annular diameter, and three patent vein grafts, we performed ultrasonic aortic valve decalcification. As a result, the pressure gradient across the aortic valve decreased from 100 mmHg to 25 mmHg, and the patient is doing well to date at two years after the operation. Although long-term results of ultrasonic aortic valve decalcification are still undetermined, it appears worth considering in cases in which ordinary valve replacement could be extremely difficult.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ninomiya
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makuuchi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Naruse
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000628:therapy*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods*