Redo aortic valve replacement in children.
BACKGROUND
Some children who have had an aortic valve replacement (AVR) will need valve re-replacement (redo-AVR). We analyzed our results with 38 redo-AVRs in 30 children.


METHODS
Thirty children, aged 2 months to 20 years (mean, 11.5 +/- 5.4 years), underwent 38 redo-AVRs 1 month to 14 years (mean, 4.6 +/- 4.5 years) after previous AVR. Seven children had a second redo-AVR and one had a third redo-AVR (his fourth AVR). Reoperation indication was primarily stenosis in 19, regurgitation in 12, endocarditis in 3, valve thrombosis-emboli in 3, and ruptured aortic aneurysm in 1. The initial valve was mechanical in 26, homograft in 7, xenograft in 4, or a Ross procedure in 1. Sixteen patients (42%) had a previous Konno procedure.


RESULTS
The new valve was mechanical (28), homograft (5), xenograft (4), or a Ross procedure (1). Twenty-five valves were upsized on re-replacement. The median valve size was 23 mm (median size increase 4 mm). Twenty-seven operations (71%) included annulus enlargement (16 redo-Konno, 8 new Konno, and 3 Manougian). Twelve children (32%) had concomitant operations including mitral valve repair-replacement (4) and right ventricular outflow tract procedure (5). Three of the 4 hospital deaths were with second or third time redo-AVR. The only death in patients with first time redo-AVR was a patient in cardiogenic shock at the time of operation.


CONCLUSIONS
Redo-AVR in children can be performed with reasonable morbidity and mortality. A larger prosthesis can often be placed in these children. Second or third time redo-AVR appears to be riskier. Earlier referral before onset of ventricular dysfunction is warranted.
Kanter
Kirk R
KR
Division of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. kkanter@emory.edu
Kirshbom
Paul M
PM
Kogon
Brian E
BE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012086:Reoperation