Valve-sparing aortic root replacement using a straight tube graft (David I procedure)

Malakh Shrestha; Dietmar Boethig; Heike Krüger; Tim Kaufeld; Andreas Martens; Axel Haverich; Erik Beckmann

doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2022.01.061

Valve-sparing aortic root replacement using a straight tube graft (David I procedure)

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2023 Nov;166(5):1387-1397.e10. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2022.01.061. Epub 2022 Apr 15.

Authors

Malakh Shrestha¹, Dietmar Boethig², Heike Krüger², Tim Kaufeld², Andreas Martens², Axel Haverich², Erik Beckmann²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Cardio-thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: shrestha.malakh.lal@mh-hannover.de.
² Department of Cardio-thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.

PMID: 35644632
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2022.01.061

Abstract

Objectives: We present our 25-year experience with valve-sparing aortic root replacement using a straight tube graft (David-I).

Methods: From 1993 to 2019, 677 patients (median age, 56.0 years; range, 42-65) underwent the David-I procedure with a straight tube graft. A total of 24 different surgeons performed these operations. Marfan syndrome was present in 111 patients (16.4%), and bicuspid aortic valve was present in 71 patients (10.5%). Aortic root aneurysm was present in 544 patients (80.4%), and acute dissection was present in 133 patients (19.6%).

Results: Ministernotomy was used in 57 patients (8.4%). Additional cusp plasty was performed in 84 patients (12.4%). Concomitant procedures were coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 122, 18.0%), mitral valve surgery (n = 34, 5%), proximal arch replacement (n = 125, 18.4%), subtotal arch replacement (n = 43, 6.4%), and total arch replacement (n = 102, 15.1%). Overall in-hospital mortality was 4.0% (n = 27), and perioperative stroke occurred in 26 patients (3.8%). Postoperative echocardiography showed aortic insufficiency less than I° in 600 of 623 (96.3%). The 1-, 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year survivals were 97%, 92%, 79%, 68%, and 50%, respectively. The rates for freedom from aortic valve-related reoperation at 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 years were 97%, 92%, 87%, 84%, and 80%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified age (odds ratio, 0.974; 95% confidence interval, 0.957-0.992; P = .004), senior surgeon (odds ratio, 0.546; 95% confidence interval, 0.305-0.979; P = .042), and residual postoperative aortic insufficiency (odds ratio, 4.864; 95% confidence interval, 1.124-21.052; P = .034) as independent risk factors for aortic valve-related reoperation.

Conclusions: The aortic valve-sparing David-I procedure can be performed with very low perioperative morbidity and mortality. The short- and long-term results are excellent. The straight tube graft does not lead to increased leaflet erosion. This procedure is reproducible by multiple surgeons.

Keywords: Marfan syndrome; aneurysm; aortic dissection; aortic valve; aortic valve-sparing root replacement.