title: Complex aortic valve repair as a durable and effective alternative to valve replacement in children with aortic valve disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to determine the utility of aortic valve repair in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was conducted on aortic valve surgery from 1973 to 2004 at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Procedures were classified as simple repairs (blunt valvotomy, commissurotomy with or without thinning, n = 147), repair of aortic insufficiency with ventricular septal defect (n = 22), complex repairs (any combination of additional procedures including suspension of prolapsed leaflets, leaflet extensions, repair of torn or perforated leaflets, annuloplasty, reduction of sinus of Valsalva plasty, and concomitant repair of supravalvular or subvalvular stenosis, n = 57), and replacements (n = 57, 20 mechanical, 2 porcine, and 35 human valves). Freedoms from reintervention for simple repairs and repair of aortic insufficiency with ventricular septal defect at 10 years were 86% +/- 5% and 93.3% +/- 6%, respectively. For complex valve repair, freedoms from reintervention at 1, 5, and 10 years were 94% +/- 3%, 85% +/- 6%, and 44% +/- 15%, versus 96% +/- 3%, 77% +/- 9%, and 77% +/- 9% for valve replacement ( P = .3). At intermediate follow-up, patients with complex valve repair had a residual gradient of 20 +/- 21 mm Hg, and 94% were free of severe aortic insufficiency. Residual aortic stenosis ( P < .05) but not the preoperative diagnosis of combined aortic stenosis and insufficiency predicted the need for reintervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Freedom from reintervention after complex valve repairs was not different from that after valve replacement, with acceptable residual aortic stenosis and insufficiency. Simple repairs and repair of aortic insufficiency with ventricular septal defect yielded excellent long-term freedom from reintervention.
authors.affiliation: Herma Heart Center, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, USA. jtweddell@chw.org
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tweddell
authors.forename: Andrew N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Pelech
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Frommelt
authors.forename: Robert D B
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Jaquiss
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Mussatto
authors.forename: S Bert
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Litwin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies