title: Risk of late aortic events after an isolated aortic valve replacement for bicuspid aortic valve stenosis with concomitant ascending aortic dilation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The optimal surgical treatment of patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease and ascending aortic aneurysm is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of late aortic events after an isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) for BAV stenosis with concomitant mild-to-moderate proximal aortic dilation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of our institutional BAV database identified a subgroup of 153 consecutive BAV patients (mean age 54.2 ± 10.5 years, 73% men) with BAV stenosis and concomitant ascending aortic dilation of 40-50 mm who underwent an isolated AVR from 1995 to 2000. All cases of simultaneous aortic surgery (i.e. ascending aorta with a diameter of >50 mm) were excluded. The follow-up (1759 patient-years) was 100% complete. The mean follow-up was 11.5 ± 3.2 years. Adverse aortic events were defined as the need for proximal aortic surgery, the occurrence of aortic dissection/rupture or sudden death during the follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Actuarial survival rates of our study population were 86 and 78% at 10 and 15 years, respectively. Ascending aortic surgery was required in five patients (3%) for progressive ascending aortic aneurysm. Freedom from aortic interventions at 10 and 15 years was 97 and 94%, respectively. No documented aortic dissection or rupture occurred. Freedom from adverse aortic events was 95% at 10 years and 93% at 15 years postoperatively. In a separate group of patients presenting with aortic insufficiency (i.e. root phenotype), freedom from adverse aortic events was significantly lower (88 and 70% at 10 and 15 years, P = 0.009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BAV patients with aortic valve stenosis and concomitant mild-to-moderate ascending aortic dilation are at a considerably low risk of adverse aortic events at 15 years after an isolated AVR. The BAV phenotype should be considered when determining the risk of subsequent adverse aortic events and the need for concomitant aortic replacement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Central Clinic Bad Berka, Bad Berka, Germany. egirdauskas@web.de
authors.forename: Evaldas
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Girdauskas
authors.forename: Kushtrim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Disha
authors.forename: Heinrich H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Raisin
authors.forename: Maria-Anna
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Secknus
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Borger
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuntze
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000209:etiology; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000209:etiology; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000002:abnormalities; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D000082882:Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome