Homograft reconstruction of the aortic root for endocarditis with periannular abscess: a 17-year study.
OBJECTIVE
The study was conducted to evaluate the long-term results of homograft reconstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract with a cryopreserved aortic homograft in the presence of aortic root abscess associated with a biofilm bacterial infection.


METHODS
Between January 1987 and December 2003, 161 patients with aortic root abscess underwent freehand aortic valve (FAVR, N = 78) and aortic root replacement (ARR, N = 83) with an antibiotic treated cryopreserved aortic homograft. Their mean age was 53.1+/-15.6 years. Endocarditis of the native valve was found in 80 patients and of the prosthetic valve in 81; of the prosthetic valves 49 (60.5%) were mechanical and 32 (39%) bioprosthetic. Aortic ventricular discontinuity was found in 83 patients. The common responsible microorganisms were the biofilm bacteria: Staphylococcus (S. epidermidis: 34, S. aureus: 13) in 47 patients followed by Enterococcus in 23 and Streptococcus in 39. Surgery was urgent in 80 patients and emergent in 81, of whom 44 were in cardiogenic shock. Follow-up totaled 810.8 patient-years (mean: 5.0+/-4.3 years) and was 100% complete.


RESULTS
Operative mortality was 9.3% for elective/urgent and 14.3% for emergency surgery. A total of 7.3% patients died after hospital discharge during the 17-year follow-up period. The actuarial patient survival at 17 years was 70.4+/-3.6%. Early and late residual/recurrent infections and paravalvular leaks occurred in 4.3 and 2.5%, respectively. Reoperations were carried out in 30 patients, 11 for residual/recurrent infection and paravalvular leaks. Twenty-one patients with FAVR and 9 with ARR techniques underwent reoperation. Early reoperation rate was 4.3%. The actuarial freedom from residual/recurrent infection and paravalvular leaks was 91.6+/-2.4%. Actuarial freedom from reoperation at 17 years was 75+/-3.7%. It was 82.9+/-5.5% for ARR and 63.5+/-6.7% for AAVR technique. The actuarial freedom from structural valve deterioration (SVD) at 17 years was 98.6+/-0.4.% at a rate of %/patient-year.


CONCLUSIONS
Radical debridement of the infected aortic root and homograft ARR offer a low recurrent infection rate and an overall low valve-related morbidity and mortality for up to 17 years. The antibiotic permeable cryopreserved homograft has proven to be resistant to biofilm bacterial infection.
Yankah
Abraham Charles
AC
Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Germany. yankah@dhzb.de
Pasic
Miralem
M
Klose
Holger
H
Siniawski
Henryk
H
Weng
Yuguo
Y
Hetzer
Roland
R
D000038:Abscess / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D018441:Biofilms; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015925:Cryopreservation; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000601:surgery*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D016019:Survival Analysis