title: Cryopreserved aortic homograft replacement in 3 patients with noninfectious inflammatory vascular disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although mechanical prosthetic heart valves are most commonly used for aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic regurgitation due to noninfectious inflammatory vascular disease, postoperative perivalvular leakage and/or detachment of the prosthetic valve occurs due to the fragility of the aortic annulus. Aortic root replacement with cryopreserved homografts is reported to be useful in such patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients having aortic regurgitation associated with severe long standing noninfectious inflammatory vascular disease-2 patients with Takayasu's arteritis and 1 patient with Behçet disease--had the aortic root replacement by a cryopreserved aortic homograft valve and conduit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All surgery was successful and the postoperative course uneventful. Echocardiography showed neither aortic regurgitation nor graft detachment at 6-39 months after operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Homograft valve and conduit replacement is appropriate in patients with aortic regurgitation associated with noninfectious inflammatory vascular disease, with mid-term results favorable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, 1-1 Seiryomachi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakuma
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akimoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iguchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tabayashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000637:transplantation*; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery*; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D015925:Cryopreservation; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000150:complications*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous