Cusp shaving for concomitant mild to moderate rheumatic aortic insufficiency.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to assess the early and mid-term results of patients who underwent cardiac operations due to cardiac pathologies other than aortic valve (AV) disease, but also had mild-to-moderate aortic valve insufficiency that was repaired during the same session.


METHODS
A total of 43 patients who underwent AV repair for mild-to-moderate aortic insufficiency between January 2003 and February 2009, in addition to the procedure performed for their main pathology necessitating the surgical intervention, were included in the present study. Cardiac function was evaluated, before and after the operation.


RESULTS
Hospital mortality rate was 4.6% (two patients). After the operations, significant improvements were observed in aortic insufficiency (0.57 +/- 0.50 vs. 2.86 +/- 0.48, p = 0.001), New York Heart Association class (1.08 +/- 0.28 vs. 3.03 +/- 0.44, p = 0.001), and left atrial diameter (47.37 +/- 9.28 vs. 42.35 +/- 7.02; p = 0.001). However, left ventricular end diastolic and end-systolic diameters remained unchanged. Two patients were re-operated for AV disease during the follow-up period; thus, at five years, the rate of freedom from re-operation due to AV pathology was 90.7 +/- 6.3%.


CONCLUSIONS
Cusp shaving is a feasible option that can be performed with low risk for concomitant aortic insufficiency.
Tekumit
Hayrettin
H
Avrupa Safak Hastanesi, Istanbul, Turkey. htekumit@yahoo.com
Cenal
Ali Riza
AR
Tataroglu
Cenk
C
Uzun
Kemal
K
Polat
Adil
A
Akinci
Esat
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey