• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.3 s.272
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• pp.232-235
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• 2007

We present 2 cases of patients who underwent surgical repair and replacement of an injured aortic valve that was secondary to nonpenetrating trauma. Primary repair was undertaken on an 18-year old boy, but he had persistent moderate aortic regurgitation for five years after surgery. Another 64-year old man was treated successfully with surgical replacement of the aortic valve via employing a prosthetic mechanical valve. Attempts at valvuloplasty for the treatment of traumatic aortic valve injury have not been uniformly successful, and prosthetic valve replacement is recommended for repair, except for highly selected cases.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.727-732
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• 2007

Background: The reciptents of aortic valve replacement or a Bentall operation usually display various degrees of mitral regurgitation. When deciding whether or not to correct the mitral regurgitation, one must consider its severity, underlying causes and operative risk. Recently, the operation method for correcting the concomitant mitral regurgitation has been done through aortic root to reduce the operation time and the cardiac trauma. We report our experiences that transaortic mitral valve commissuroplasty done with aortic valve replacement or a Bentall operation has been a simple, less invasive, effective method in the operative management of mitral valve regurgitation without significant organic changes. Material and Method: Between June 2002 and June 2005, twenty patients under-went mitral valve commissuroplasty via the aortic root with aortic valve replacement (n=14) or a Bentall operation (n=7). The mitral valve regurgitation of the patients didn't exceed a moderate (grade 2) degree and there was no significant organic disease. The preoperative diagnosis of MR was established by TTE and intraoperative TEE, and the patients were followed postoperatively by TTE. The operative technique was a simple anterolateral commissuroplasty of the mitral valve with a single mattress suture via the transaortic annular approach after excision of the aortic valve leaflets. Result: The mean patient age was 56.2 years and 65% (n=13) were male. The preoperative MR was mild (grade 1) in 9 (45%), mild to moderate in 8 (40%), and moderate (grade 2) in 3 (15%) patients. There were no operative mortalities. The MR improved in all patients (p=0.002) and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF) improved in 14 (70%) patients (p=0.005). The mean cross-clamp time for the patients who under- went aortic valve replacement with transaortic mitral repair was $62.1{\pm}13.9 min$ and this was $137.5{\pm}7.2 min$ for the patients who underwent a Bentall operation with transaortic mitral repair. Conclusion: For selected patients without significant mitral organic disease, transaortic mitral valve commissuroplasty combined with aortic valve replacement or a Bentall operation may be a feasible, effective method without adding significant aortic cross clamping time and more cardiotomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.667-673
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• 2007

Background: Patients with severe aortic valve disease frequently display mitral valve regurgitation (MR). In such patients, the clinical course of MR after isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) may be important for determining the treatment strategies. After isolated AVR, the change of the concomitant moderate degree or less of MR according to the type of aortic valve disease is not known well. The aim of this study was to analyze the post-operative changes of MR after performing AVR in those patients with severe AS (Group S) and those with severe AR (Group R). Material and Method: We retrospectively evaluated 43 patients with severe aortic disease and a moderate degree or less of mitral valve regurgitation, and these patients underwent isolated aortic valve replacement from January 1996 to June 2005. The patients were divided into two groups: the aortic valve stenosis group (n = 29) and the aortic valve regurgitation group (n = 14). The patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography preoperatively and at 7 days, $6{\sim}10$ months and more than 18 months (mean follow-up duration: 38 months) postoperatively. Result: The mean age was 60.9 years (Group S: 62 years, Group R: 52.5 years) and 60% (Group S=55%, Group R=71%) of the patients were male. The preoperative MR was mild in 29 (67.5%), mild to moderate in 11 (25.5%), and moderate in 3 (6.9%) patients. In the Group S patients, MR improved in 16 (55%) patients at the immediate postoperative days and in 17 (59%) patients at more than 18 months postoperatively. On the other hand, all the Group R patients exhibited earlier improvement. The decrease of LA size had a similar pattern to the MR change, but there were no significant differences in the change of the ejection fraction of the two groups. Conclusion: In the patients with severe aortic valve disease and concomitant low grade MR, the MR after AVR improved earlier and more effectively in the patients with AR than in those patients with AS.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.591-594
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• 1999

Supravalvular aortic stenosis is an uncommon, congenital narrowing of the ascending aorta which originates just distal to the level of the ostium of the coronary artery. We conducted a successful surgical treatment in a 39 year- old female patient with a congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation who did not show signs of William's syndrome. After we performed an inverted Y-shaped aortotomy toward the noncoronary sinus and right coronary sinus, pantaloon shaped prosthetic patch(Vascutek, Ino, USA) was used to repair the narrowing sinotubular junction. The aortic valve was replaced concommittently using Sorin Bicarbon 19mm. Her postoperative course was uneventful. The patient discharged at 9th postoperative day in good health.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.774-776
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• 2009

A 57-year-old man with dyspnea was transferred to our institution. Echocardiography demonstrated grade III aortic valve regurgitation with a bicuspid aortic valve. The preoperative coronary angiography showed a left single nary artery. Replacement of the aortic valve was performed. Ventricular fibrillation developed during weaning patient of cardiopulmonary bypass after aortotomy repair. An anomalous origin of the coronary arteries is an incidental finding. However, in patients who are undergoing aortic valve replacement, a can significantly complicate the procedure. If this is present, then it is imperative that the clearly identified and the required procedure should be modified to avoid injury to these.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.274-282
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• 2002

Background: Paravalvular leakage or false aneurysm developed after isolated aortic valve replacement(AVR) for aortic regurgitation(AR) associated with Behcet's disease is one of the most serious complications, and requires subsequent reoperations. We describe the surgical result of homograft aortic root replacement(ARR) for AR associated with Behcet's disease. Material and Method: From January 1992 to December 2001, 6 patients with AR associated with Behcet's disease underwent 7 ARR with homograft and 1 Ross operation. Five patients were male and one was female. The grafts used for ARR were 5 aortic and 2 pulmonic homografts. Ages at operation ranged from 27 to 51 years(mean, 37$\pm$9 years). Two patients underwent ARR with aortic homograft at the first operation. In the remaining 4 patients, ARR using a homograft was performed for paravalvular leakage that developed after AVR, and the mean interval from AVR to ARR was 21 $\pm$29 months(range, 5 to 73.3 moths, median, 7.6 months). Result: There was no early death. All patients were followed up for an average of 18.9$\pm$24.0 months(range, 1.9 to 68.9 months, median, 8.4 months). Two of 4patients who had undergone ARR after AVR required subsequent reoperations for false aneurysm of the ascending aorta and failure of pulmonary homograft. One patient underwent re-replacement of the aortic root, ascending aorta and partial aortic arch with an aortic homograft, the other underwent Ross operation. Conclusion: This study suggests that aortic root replacement using a homograft in aortic regurgitation with Behcet's disease may provide good clinical results and decrease the incidence of paravalvular leakage or false aneurysm after aortic valve replacement. However, the adequate perioperative management and complete removal of the inflarrunatory tissue at operation were also important for the good long-term results.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.3 s.248
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• pp.197-203
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• 2005

Homograft aortic valve replacement (AVR) has many advantages such as excellent hemodynamic performance, faster left ventricular hypertrophy regression, resistance to infection and excellent freedom of thromboembolism. To find out the results of homograft AVR, we reviewed our surgical experiences. Material and Method: Eighteen patients (male female=16 : 2, mean age=39.3$\pm$16.2 years, range: 14$\~$68 years) who underwent homo-graft aortic valve replacement between May 1995 and May 2004 were reviewed. The number of homografts was 20 (17 aortic and 3 pulmonic homografts) including two re-operations. Ten patients had a history of previous aortic valve surgery. Indications for the use of a homograft were native valve endocarditis (n=7), prosthetic valve endocarditis (n=5), or Behcet's disease (n=8). The homograft had been implanted predominantly as a full root except in one patient in the subcoronary position. Result: Mean follow-up was 41.3 $\pm$ 26.2 months. There was one operative mortality. Postoperative complications included postoperative bleeding in 3 patients, and wound infection in 1. There was no late death. Three patients underwent redo-AVR. The etiology of the three reoperated patients was Behcet's disease (p=0.025). Freedom from reoperation was $87.5\pm8.3\%$, $78.8\pm11.2\%$ at 1, 5 years respectively, In patients with infective endocarditis, there was no recurrence of endocarditis. There was no thromboembolic complication. Conclusion: Although longer term follow-up with larger numbers of patients is necessary, the operative and mid-term results for homograft AVR was good when we took into account the operative risks of Behcet's disease or infective endocarditis. Behest's disease was a risk factor for reoperation after the homograft AVR. We think homograft AVR is the procedure of choice, particularly in patients with infective endocarditis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.88-91
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• 2004

Aortic regurgitation is not a rare complication of Takayasu's disease. Aortic regurgitation may aggravate cerebral ischemic syndrome like syncope in patients with stenotic or occlusive lesions in cerebral branches of aorta secondary to acute or progressive inflammation. In a 34-yrs-old male patient who complained of syncope and exertional dyspnea with occlusion of both carotid arteries and severe stenoses of both subclavian arteries, occlusion of right coronary artery, and aortic regurgitation, his symptom was improved with perioperative aggressive steroid therapy, stent insertion in both subclavian arteries, and aortic valve replacement.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.719-723
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• 1997

We experienced a case of aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva dissecting into the ventricular dseptum. This dissection was induced by paravalvular leakage after aortic and mitral valve replacement. This 37-year-old male was admitted via emergence room due to progressive dyspnea. He had undergone aortic valve replacement(carbomed c" 23 mm) and mitral valve replacement(carbomedic 31 mm) due to aortic regurgitation and mitral regurgitation about 6 years prior to admission and followed up regularly. The diagnosis was made by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and reconfirmed by root aortography. The inlet of the ventricular septal aneurysmal sac was repaired by one layer suture with 3-0 prolene of the endocardium, epicardium and homograft muscle shoulder altogether. Postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged on the 11th postoperative day. day.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1197-1204
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• 1997

Between April 1981 and June 1996, 65 patients had aortic root replacement at our institution. Disease entities were pure aortic annuloectasia in 31 patients(47.7%), Stanford type A aortic dissection with annuloectasia in 8(43.1%), atherosclerotic aneurysm with aortic regurgitation in 4(6.2%), and paravalvular leakage after aortic valve replacement in 2(3.1 %). 34 patients(52.3%) had the clinical stigmata of the Marfan syndrome. The operative procedures were Bentall operation in 61 patients(93.8%); 3 of conventional procedure and 58 of Cabrol's modification, aortic valve-sparing operation in 2(3.1 %), and root replacement with homograft in 2(3.1%). Hospital deaths occurred in 3 patients(4.8%) because of uncontrolled bleeding(1) and bypass weaning failure due to low cardiac output(2), and all had emergency operation with Cabrol's procedure. Postoperative complications developed in 19(29.2%) patients and most of them were transient. Surviving 62 patients have been followed up to cumulative total 315.0 patient-years(mean 60.2 $\pm$42.4 months). Late deaths occurred in 7 patients(11.3%), aneurysmal changes of remaining aorta were detected in 12 patients(19.4%). Actuarial survival rate at 10 years was 72.0 $\pm$ 9.7%, and the subsequent aortic operation-free rate at 10 years was 68.0$\pm$ 8.9% In a multivariate analysis, Marfan syndrome, emergency operation, preoperative dissection, combined arch replacement, and total circulatory arrest emerged as significant risk factors for hospital death or subsequent aortic operation. Over 60 years of age was the only risk factor for late death. Our 16 years'cummulative experience shows that aortic root replacement, mainly by means of Cabrol's procedure, can be applied successfully to variety of aortic root disease. However, long-term follow up will be needed to determine the late result of aortic valve-saving operation and root replacement with homograft. When dissection is present or the distal native aorta is diseased in'Marfan patients, close follow-up is necessary because of the subsequent aneurysmal change of remaining aorta.