title: Aortic root replacement with a stentless bioprosthesis in a patient with giant cell arteritis.
abstract: A 66-year-old woman was diagnosed with severe aortic regurgitation. Blood studies constantly showed positive C-reactive protein. Aortic valve replacement using a mechanical valve was carried out. Four months after the operation, echocardiogram showed aortic regurgitation due to paravalvular leakage. Reoperation was performed using a stentless aortic root bioprosthesis. The pathological specimen from the aortic wall was consistent with giant cell arteritis. The patient was treated with prednisone with dramatic improvement of systemic symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iguchi
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nitta
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tabayashi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery*; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000150:complications*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D012086:Reoperation