Reoperative surgery on the aortic valve.
The number of patients presenting for reoperative valve surgery is set to rise because of the increased longevity of the population. International trends indicate a shift towards the use of tissue valves in North America and Europe. In recent years, improved techniques have reduced the early mortality of these procedures, such that age, alone, is no longer an incremental risk factor. It is the co-morbidity which largely determines the fate of these patients. Percutaneous valve replacement is evolving and is likely to be a useful form of management especially in those with significant associated disease.
Ali
A
A
Department of Surgery, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
Pepper
J
J
D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D012086:Reoperation