Midterm results of aortic valve repair with the pericardial cusp extension technique in rheumatic valve disease.
BACKGROUND
The encouraging results of valve repair in the atrioventricular valves have influenced a decision about aortic valve (AV) reconstruction. We report our experience with pericardial cusp extension to repair rheumatic AV disease.


METHODS
From 1993 to 1998, 46 patients (25 women, 21 men) with a mean age of 31.5 +/- 12.2 years (range, 15 to 58 years) underwent AV repair. Twenty-two (47.8%) patients had moderate and 24 (52.2%) had severe aortic insufficiency (AI). Severe cusp retraction was repaired with glutaraldehyde-treated autologous pericardium. Twenty-one patients had more than one maneuver (mean, 1.8) to attain competence besides augmentation, which consisted of the release of stenotic commissures (in 11 cases), thinning of the AV cusps (in 10 cases), and resuspension of the cusps (in 17 cases). Simultaneous mitral valve repair was performed on 17 patients. Eight patients received triple valve reconstruction.


RESULTS
There was no early mortality. Thirty patients no longer had AI with any significant transvalvular gradients. Five patients were followed with mild residual AI, and 2 patients with moderate AI not requiring reoperation. Nine patients developing severe AI required AV replacement with a reoperation rate 19.6% (4.26%/patient-year). The mean interval between repair and reoperation was 28.2 +/- 18.3 months (range, 3 to 58 months). The mean observation time was 4.6 +/- 3 years (211.6 patient-years). Late mortality rate was 2.2% with 1 patient. The significant negative predictors of aortic reoperation determined by univariate analysis were preoperative New York Heart Association class (p = 0.002) and postoperative severe AI (p < 0.001). Cox hazard studies identified that all risk factors were insignificant for aortic reoperation. The actuarial rate of freedom from aortic reoperation was 76.1% +/- 7% at 7.5 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Although AV repair by extension with pericardium is worth considering with an acceptable solution to achieve a good geometry from unequal cusps, especially in young rheumatic patients for preservation of the native AV, the patients should be followed periodically for reoperation risk.
Bozbuga
Nilgün
N
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kosuyolu Heart and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. nbozbuga@kosuyolu.gov.tr
Erentug
Vedat
V
Kirali
Kaan
K
Akinci
Esat
E
Isik
Omer
O
Yakut
Cevat
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012086:Reoperation; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D012307:Risk Factors