Replacement of the quadricuspid aortic valve: strategy to avoid complete heart block.
Quadricuspid aortic valves are rarely encountered by the cardiac surgeon during aortic valve replacement. The most common location for the supranumerary cusp is between the noncoronary and the right coronary cusp, located over the membranous septum, which can potentially increase the risk of complete heart block after valve replacement. We present three quadricuspid aortic valve replacements, one of which was complicated by complete heart block postoperatively. We suggest a strategy to possibly avoid this complication.
Pirundini
Paul A
PA
Division of Cardiac Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis, Massachusetts, USA. ppirundini@capecodhealth.org
Balaguer
Jorge M
JM
Lilly
Kevin J
KJ
Gorsuch
William Brian
WB
Taft
Margaret Byrne
MB
Cohn
Lawrence H
LH
Rizzo
Robert J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000601:surgery; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006327:Heart Block / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D012008:Recurrence; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013536:Suture Techniques