Favorable outcome after composite valve-graft replacement in patients older than 65 years.
BACKGROUND
Concomitant surgical replacement of the aortic valve and ascending aorta is an ideal treatment for aortic root aneurysms, but there may be hesitation in its use in older patients, despite their known increased risk of rupture. This study was conducted to examine our results in 84 patients older than 65 years undergoing elective aortic root resection with composite valve-graft replacement.


METHODS
Eighty-four patients older than 65 years were operated on between June 1987 and August 1998. Median age was 74 years (range, 66 to 89 years), and 57 patients were men. Seventeen patients were undergoing reoperation. Aortic insufficiency was present in 70 patients. Forty-seven patients received a conduit using a bioprosthesis, whereas in 37 a mechanical valved conduit (St. Jude) was used. The ascending aorta alone was replaced in 23 patients; 50 had hemi-arch replacement, and in 11 the entire aortic arch was replaced.


RESULTS
Hospital mortality was 8.3% (7 of 84). Sixteen late deaths (19%) were noted during a median follow-up of 3.2 years (range, 0 to 10 years). Only one late death was aorta-related. The incidence of thrombotic or hemorrhagic complications was 2.1/100 patient-years, with equal frequency for both mechanical and bioprosthetic valves.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that composite valve-graft replacement in elderly patients results in a low operative mortality, yields excellent long-term survival, and averts fatal aneurysm rupture in this high-risk population.
Ehrlich
M P
MP
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York 10029, USA.
Ergin
M A
MA
McCullough
J N
JN
Lansman
S L
SL
Galla
J D
JD
Bodian
C A
CA
Griepp
R B
RB
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D015996:Survival Rate