Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement in a transplanted heart.
Heart transplantation is subject to a number of chronic complications that may limit graft survival and be detrimental to the patient's quality of life. Aortic valve stenosis is a rare complication found after cardiac transplantation, which we believe has never been described on a tricuspid normal aortic valve. In the present study, we report a case of successful aortic valve replacement performed 16 years after cardiac transplantation on an extensively calcified tricuspid valve. Surgery was performed by using a minimally invasive approach with a reverse T upper mini-sternotomy, and the aortic valve was replaced by a biological prosthesis. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged 7 days after the operation.
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Foundation IRCCS Policlinico S.Matteo, Pavia University School of Medicine, Pavia, Italy. nvistar@tin.it
Nicola
N
Vistarini
Andrea Maria
AM
D'Armini
Carlo
C
Pellegrini
Marco
M
Aiello
Michele
M
Toscano
Gaetano
G
Minzioni
Mario
M
Viganò
D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*