Bicuspid-aortic valve surgery: repair or replace?
OBJECTIVE
The surgical management of the bicuspid-aortic valve along with associated aortic disease remains a challenge. On the basis of recent literature as well as on our own experience, we offer several recommendations for the most appropriate surgical management of the patients with bicuspid-aortic valve disease.


RESULTS
In 2006, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association published guidelines in order to define the standard of care for the management of patients with bicuspid-aortic valve; however, these are consensus-based, mainly from observational studies, and not all surgeons accept these recommendations.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgery for bicuspid-aortic valve and associated aortic disease should be 'custom-made' for each patient and may require complex decision-making.
Bajona
Pietro
P
Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Peter Munk Cardiovascular Centre, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Feindel
Christopher M
CM
D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D058385:Cardiac Valve Annuloplasty; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012307:Risk Factors